Unmei no te: Fate's Hand
by The New Aged Hippie
Summary: Hibiki has Precognition, an ability passed through her clan. But precognition comes with a price, her sight. Blind in the world of shinobi's, She goes to Orochimaru to be kept safe. She may be a tool, but she will decide who uses her.
1. Chapter 1: Hibiki

**Chapter 1: Hibiki**

Our home was drafty, the breezes that creep in through the little holes in the walls make me cold. My feet always feel like ice, but I didn't wear shoes because each step you took let out a different sound, and shoes muffled it. Some spots had long drawn out groans and others a softer squeak. I enjoyed discovering each new noise as I did my chores. I could almost play a song by dancing over the spots, it was a fun game. I had many games I liked to play, most had to be done outside though. Our house was too small to play many games inside. But I preferred being outside anyway.

Outside we had a big fenced in yard with a garden next to our home. In our garden, I would find small bugs and give them names. Most of the real names I didn't know but I was always sure mine were better. From the wiggling noodles that burrowed in the earth, to the buzzers who sometimes stung me. Caring for our garden was one of my responsibilities, it was my favorite chore. I tended to it, watered it, and pulled the weeds. I loved the textures and smells that I encountered, a soft, waxy leaf, a fuzzy stem. A squishy tomato and the soft lavender, the smell of wet earth, it all brought me such joy.

Mother fenced the yard in so that I didn't wander too far. The grass was soft and cushioned my falls. I ran without hesitation, I played cartwheels and somersaults. I did handstands, and when I felt bold, flips. I sometimes ran into the fence, not noticing how close I was getting, but it kept me from going into the forest. Just beyond the fence's barrier was a strange world I rarely entered. I could hear the summer breeze rustle the leaves, and I felt the crunch of the fall season.

Mother left for long hours nearly every day, coming home after sunset. She was a seamstress and worked in a shop in a small village beyond the forest that lied behind the fence. A long walk down a hidden path in the forest leads to a road that goes to the village. When she would get home, she would call for me, and greet me with a warm hug. Her voice was always cheerful, full of life even when she was exhausted. We depend on each other; she goes to the village to earn money for things we cannot grow. I stay home and keep the house in order. I cleaned and did the laundry, or anything else mother needed from me. I was too small to cook; I couldn't reach the shelves or counter without a stool. Mother said because of the knives she wants me to stay away from climbing on the counter. But the knives on the shelf were the least of our worries.

I am blind in a shinobi world. A world of violence, and anger, murder and rape. A world were the odds stacked up against me. A shinobi world is unforgiving, ruthless, but in my yard, in my home, it was safe. I was safe.

Mother tried to teach me that nothing lasts forever, and when this cold cruel world took mother from me, I learned this hard lesson.

My sanctuary had been lost and I had very few options. By blind eyes made me vulnerable, but I can hear the voices of people and know who they are through their words, I can smell them well, the complex mix of elements that were unique to each person. I also have another ability one that raises my chances for survival but takes away my freedom.

I am an Omoikane, A name passed to me from my father. A man I never met but have heard countless stories about. Mother always spoke so enthusiastically about him, and the joy in her voice told me he was a good person, someone whom she loved deeply. Mother also spoke of my clan; the story goes we were once a numerous clan that was prosperous and peaceful. However, the clan dwindled down to just me. I am the sole member of the Omoikane clan. I am a rare jewel, a treasure, a tool. I can be used for greatness or destruction. From my mother's words and the disdain, she had for each, I knew that my ability is a curse.

I am cursed with the ability to foretell the future. The Omoikane has the future lay before them, giving them everything they need. We know where we must go, we know who we must speak to, and who we should fear. But we also pay a heavy price, our vision. Our ability to see the world in front of us is taken so that we can see the world only through our visions.

Precognition is not a perfect art, it shifts all the time, changing the fates of people in a snap. I cannot promise anything, I can only guide. I can only offer my foresight and my body. Whom should I turn to, where should I go?

Somehow, I found Orochimaru, and when I told Orochimaru who I was, he recognized the name. The name mother only spoke aloud once, a name he didn't repeat. But the man was happy to have me, foresight was a useful tool for his ambitions. A unique edge against the enemy.

We made a deal. He would keep me safe, fed, and in good health, in exchange for my full cooperation in revealing my visions. I knew he had evil intentions for me, I could smell it on him. Anger, vengeance, greed. His voice was soaked in pride and power, being near him makes me feel uneasy. But if I am to live, I need to be safe, I need a strong wall between me and the world. I had no choice really.

Once the deal was made, I was escorted to my room. In the Kusagakure Hideout, my room was small, it had a bed, a desk, a dresser, and a bookshelf. It was just like every other living space in the hideout, the air was stuffy from being underground and did not have proper air circulation, it was foreign and felt hostile, like the walls planned to eat me. But this was a safe place for me. Even if I could still hear the screaming of those held captive.

The rules were simple and easy to follow. A luxury I didn't expect was being allowed to go where I pleased, so long as I never interfered with Orochimaru's work. I suppose they knew I would never leave, on my own at least. The hideout was big, with many halls that curved in all directions, like the body of a snake. The rooms were spaced out perfectly. It was complex and once I found all my necessities, I stopped exploring. I was sure that many rooms held things I didn't want to know about. The prisoners were held far in the back of the snake's body, if the walls didn't echo so bad I wouldn't have to hear the prisoners. Although I quickly grew accustomed to their occasional outbursts, generally they were quiet. This became my semi-permanent home. I moved around when Orochimaru needed me to, but this hideout was where I spent most of my downtime.

When I was summoned before Orochimaru, I always cried after. But as my work continued and my duties increased, I learned to stop crying.

He used me for many purposes. I found locations he could make other hideouts at. I found him many subordinates, those willing to follow Orochimaru to their deaths. Those desperate enough to do Orochimaru's bidding. But most importantly I found him his subjects. I located candidates for his experimentation, people he would find more resilient, those who would survive long enough to be of good use. These people were kidnapped and taken to be Orochimaru's lab rats. It was no secret among them either. They knew who I was, and they know I am the reason they are trapped and tortured. Treated like animals, I am the reason they were stripped of humanity.

Through my work I foresaw Orochimaru's current body's rejection and was able to give a time frame in which he had to acquire a new host. Kabuto-san was informed of this as well. He began to study stronger medicine to help Orochimaru's body alive long enough to change into his new vessel. He was spending most of his time in his labs. He moved from his offshore lab to various labs in the scattered hideouts. Although Kabuto-san could have asked for a cure, it's possible to find I'm sure, but he never did. He would only come to me to find new subjects for testing.

The name Sasuke was frequently whispered among Orochimaru's followers. The name of the boy with the Sharingan eyes. He was a major player in a timeline I monitored. I foresaw a few possibilities that varied, his fate ranging greatly. From early death to a later death to Death in battle or death by Orochimaru, even death by his own hand.

I worked quite hard for a while, Orochimaru had this big plan to get to the Third Hokage, as well as Sasuke, in one huge convoluted scheme. I was used for checking details, probabilities. He wanted the mission to be as smooth as possible. I told him who to send. I warned him of their deaths as well. Of course, he didn't care about their fates, so long as Sasuke is retrieved. I did my best to stay unfazed with the death tolls and loss of those near me. I had gotten good at it over the 4 years I had spent here. But still, a few people got under my skin.

After a few days of finalizing the details on his plans, Orochimaru decided that moving me to a different hideout, for the time being, would be the best idea. He wanted me under the watch of another trusted associate since he and Kabuto-san would be out. Of course, the associate's work couldn't be interrupted, so I was moved to the Eastern Hideout where he was.

In another strange twist of fate, I can't look for my personal future directly. I cannot follow the path I currently walk on, due to my own choices being manipulated by the events I foresaw. I can only see myself in the background of others' lives. In a primal form of self-preservation, I have subconsciously controlled flashes, warning signs of my possible death. So, what's going to happen while I'm in that damp moldy place is a mystery.

 **I've been super busy with school recently, So I'm sorry for the long hiatus. I was rereading the story and I decided that it needed to be edited, I want to explore the relationships between the characters more. I will try to update as much as I can, Thank you for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2: Suigetsu

**Chapter 2. Suigetsu**

Hibiki did not know how long she would be at the eastern hideout. The plan needed three months at least but depending on how things went it could last up to four.

She hadn't spent much time in the eastern hideout, it was a location Orochimaru held those with abilities he was currently studying. So, she took this opportunity to explore the halls giving her a basic understanding of her environment. The halls were strange, the walls were rough but flat, but like the other hideouts, she had been too they curved like a snake. It was cool inside, colder than the other hideouts. Hibiki's feet felt like ice against the ground. She could wear shoes, but she never really liked wearing shoes. Besides it harder to navigate her world. Her bare feet allowed for more connection to her surroundings, helping her feel connected to her environment.

Hibiki kept her hand on the wall as she walked, making tick marks with a small sharp object she found every few feet. An old habit she picked up when she first started staying with Orochimaru. She could move around the Kusagakure Hideout with relative ease now, but they were a safety net she could fall back on.

Keeping a count of how many ticks she made from her temporary room she slowly moved through the halls. She kept going until her hand fell through an open gap. The opening was most likely an archway, due to doors always being closed. It was 142 tick marks from her room, a good distance. But without walls, she would get lost. She reached out to feel in front of her to see how far it was to the other side. When she realized it wasn't in her immediate reach, she began to turn back, this would have to be her dead end.

The floor in the archway was slick, panic filled her as she felt her feet slip on the water, causing her to fall back onto her ass, she hit the floor with a bang that softly echoed through the halls.

After taking a moment to let her heart settle, she extended her foot out trying to find the wall again. After stretching out her toe grazed the rough surface. With a sigh of relief, she started to stand when a voice cried out to her.

"Hey, kid! Over here!" the unfamiliar voice said, "Come let me out!" Hibiki was startled by the sudden company. Sure, she wasn't alone in the hideout, there were some of Orochimaru's lackeys lurking in the halls, but they never addressed her.

Across the room in a large tank with many tubes coming from it, a young boy floated. He was pleasantly surprised to see a kid his age here. Plus, the girl was alone and moving around the hideout by herself, so she wasn't being held captive,

 _Perfect, if I can just get her to help me, I can book it out of here. But how should I do it?_ He thought.

The girl had long pale brown hair, it was as if her hair had most of the color sucked out of it, a somewhat lifeless color. It was braided down her back to her hips where it swung from side to side as she moved. She had a black headband holding her hair from her face, exposing it entirely to others. As she carefully, and thoughtfully walked into the room towards his tank he saw how her eyes seemed off.

"That's right, come let me out girly!" The boy called again. As she grew closer, he took in more of her features. She was not pretty, but she was not ugly either. A very bland appearance. She wore a white long-sleeved dress that stopped at her knobby knees. Her bare feet took a light shade of blue from being cold.

After a few minutes, she carefully outstretched her arm and placed her hand on his icy tank.

"My name is Hibiki, what's yours?" she asked. Her voice was soft and somewhat hushed, and hesitant. But in her voice, he also heard excitement, almost wonderstruck.

"Suigetsu, now let me out!" he demanded. While keeping her hand on the tank, she slowly lowered herself and sat down in front of him her eyes looking left of where he was.

"I can't, Orochimaru will be upset if I do," she said plainly.

"That's the point! I want to get out of here! Let me out," he demanded again, banging his hands on the tank, his voice growing louder with frustration.

Torn, the girl closed her eyes, her brow furrowed in concentration,

 _What the hell is she doing?_ Suigetsu wondered. She finally opened her eyes again after a few weird silent minutes.

"Will you let me out?" he asked again.

"Not now, it's too risky." she apologized.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he questioned.

"Where are you from?" she changed the subject.

"Kirigakure."

"Where's that?"

"The Land of Water, idiot." he scoffed.

"What's it like there?"

Suigetsu hesitated. "Why the questions, it's not like it matters, if you're not letting me out?" The girl scooted closer to the tank and placed her other hand on the glass.

"It must get lonely here. I'm alone a lot too, it would be nice to talk to someone," she said sadly. Suigetsu watched her, she looked pitiful. Her eyes were somewhat puffy from what he assumed was crying.

 _Probably spends too much time with that creep Orochimaru, might as well humor her, not like I'm doing anything else. I might even be able to trick her into opening the hatch._

"The village is surrounded by a thick mist, with a bunch of mountains around it," he answered.

"Is it green there?"

"Yeah, it has a bunch of plants and shit."

"Did you have friends there? Family?" she probed.

"Nah, I didn't like the others," he paused for a minute, "but there are these guys called the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!" he said a bit more enthusiastically than he intended. "My brother, Mangetsu was a member. I was going to be a member too, but then Orochimaru got me."

"Do you miss your brother?" she asked, seemingly concerned.

"I miss being free more," he answered. He stared at the girl for a minute. "Uh... Hibiki right?"

"Yes?"

"Your eyes, what's wrong with them?" he asked. The more he looked the weirder her eyes became. Hibiki smiled and leaned forward, placing her forehead on the glass of the tank. Its cold surface stinging her flesh.

"I'm Blind," she said.

Suigetsu swam closer to her and looked at her eyes more closely. They were brown, kind of, they had the faintest hint of brown, but just like her hair her they were dull and lifeless.

...Or maybe not that lifeless. Suigetsu pressed his face against the glass, mirroring Hibiki. Her eyes were open, awake but not seeing. But in them Suigetsu saw something…. He pulled back, the faintest shock had gone through him, a vision, an image? He blushed hard.

"You should get out of here," he said coldly.

"Can I come back tomorrow?"

"Do whatever you want,"

"Okay, I'll see you later Suigetsu."

When she left the room was quiet. It had been a while since he had last spoken to someone, other than his loud cursing at Orochimaru's lackeys passing by. He couldn't say he hated it. The strange image floated up in his head again, but he shook it away.

Like the girl promised, she came back every day around noon and stayed until Suigetsu kicked her out. She would ask a lot of questions and would have him tell her stories from his village, about the people he admired. She would smile happily at his stories. Talking to Hibiki became easy, his hesitation vanished, and the words flew from his mouth. But what felt like far too soon she had to leave for good.

"It's been three months; he finally finished his business. Orochimaru is moving me back to where I usually live. This is our last day together." she said glumly.

"That sucks, n-not like I like having you here, just Orochimaru is a creep and being near him must suck." he rambled.

"Kind of." she sighed. "I'll see you later Suigetsu, stay strong ok?"

"Whatever, and who the hell are you to tell me what to do?" he grumbled.

"I'll miss you too," she said leaving the room with a soft but sad smile. _Orochimaru will probably kill her,_ He thought as she turned the corner and out of sight. It was quiet the next day, and far too soon, the experimenting began again.


	3. Chapter 3: Sasuke

**Chapter 3. Sasuke**

Back and forth, back and forth I walked, I hugged myself tightly trying to breathe and calm down. The Kusagakure hideout had been uncharacteristically bustling with life for the last two days.

My short time with Suigetsu was something I didn't know I needed. The unexpected interactions between us left me smiling. A real smile and not one of the ones I force on my face. How long had it been since I smiled? A few years probably. But now I was back in the reality of my situation, the screams from the prisoners were muted by the chatter of passing subordinates. But they still loomed in the background.

I sat on my bed and took three deep breathes, in through my nose, and letting each out of my mouth slowly. I closed my eyes and relaxed my muscles, falling into the black abyss of my foresight that hid behind my eyes. In front of me, the bright glow of a river illuminated only a small portion of the endless void that surrounded it. Taking slow steps, I walked along the river searching for what I needed. Finding surging familiar energy I stopped, carefully I stepped into the bright River in just the right spot. The lukewarm water flowed over my icy feet. I waited for the river's bottom to drop, which would cause me to fall deep into its depths, where the vision would come, surrounding me and melting into a bright environment.

But I didn't fall, I wasn't greeted with the bright sight of the world, the void stayed. Frustration overflowing inside me as I open my eyes, stood and paced again.

Sasuke was coming, or he was supposed to. His arrival, or his possible arrival, is a major junction in the future. However, it all depended on this one kid. Spiky blonde hair, orange clothes, a stupid confident smile on his face, erratic in behavior and actions, he was annoying. He was a blind spot, and blind spots make me nervous. As a rule, I never look too far into the future, it can change so drastically from the smallest actions, looking far ahead is usually pointless. A waste of my time and energy, but when certain events, big events happen they are like stones set in the river of time, they alter the water's flow substantially enough to give me a good idea of the direction the current of reality is going. This blonde boy is keeping me from seeing these events, these key stones.

Mother had once told me about blind spots, she described them as people who don't think, don't plan. The Blonde boy acts directly as a reaction; thus, his actions are unpredictable. Unforeseeable. He was a walking talking nightmare. He took away what little control I had over my life. Worst of all, If Orochimaru were to ever learn about any of this, that my precognition has weaknesses, he would experiment, he would investigate my precognition. I can't allow for this to happen. My abilities must die with me.

I repeated my actions over and over, I paced, sat on my bed, checked the river, then paced again. This repetitive sequence made me lose track of time, so after what felt like an eternity the river finally revealed its secrets.

Inside the river I witnessed Sasuke standing over the blonde boy who was finally unconscious, floating in the water. I watched Sasuke's face explore many emotions before settling on determination. He left the boy and walked calmly toward us. I followed his journey to the hideout, nothing obscuring it. This was a stone moment.

I opened my eyes and gave myself a moment, waiting for the disorientation I felt after being in the river, to waver. I stood and exited my room. With my hand gliding on the wall for navigation, I made my way to Orochimaru's den.

At his door I straightened my posture and fixed my hair and dress a bit, presenting myself as calm and collected as possible, before knocking three times. For a few moments, I was greeted by only silence. Then,

"Come in." his voice called from within. Letting the initial shiver of fear roll off my spine, I fixed a smile on my face and slowly opened the door, I took a few steps in and waited for him to take notice.

"Ahh Hibiki, News?" I could feel his slimy smile in his voice.

"Yes, Sasuke is on his way," I reported. I heard him move from his desk and walk to me. He placed a hand on my shoulder,

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes sir, I am positive," I replied.

"Then thank you for letting me know Hibiki," he said before moving past me to give orders to the others. I shivered a little and let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. He held so much control over my life that I feel nauseous when with him. A warning from my precognition that I needed to be careful. I calmly rushed back to my room. All my energy drained out of my feet once the door was closed. I dragged myself over to the bed. I laid on my back and took slow deep breathes. My body shook slightly as I did my breaths, my mind racing to his question, 'Are you sure?'. He was either keeping me on my toes to ensure success or he was torturing me with the things I sometimes imagine happening in the middle of the night.

I turned onto my side and closed my eyes. I let my mind venture to the past month. The days I spent going to see Suigetsu in his tank.

...

I scarcely left my room over the next two days. The bustling halls posed a danger, but I was also avoiding our newest arrival. It was a challenge to bring myself to face him. We had so much in common, it would be like facing myself. We both are the last of our clans, we both ran into Orochimaru's clutches.

With a heavy sigh, I stepped out of my room and went to find Kabuto-san. He was probably in the lab, and I didn't need to waste my vision on this. I moved quickly, my hand gliding along the wall and sure enough, he was in the lab. I could hear him working, and I could smell him. He smelt like latex and cleaning alcohol that burned my nose.

"Kabuto-san, could you tell me where Sasuke is staying?"

He was quiet for a moment probably finishing whatever he was doing. "Close to the library, it uses to be Kimimaro's," he told me in a soft and relaxed voice. Probably not even lifting his head to face me.

"Thank you, Kabuto-san," I called to him as I quickly exited the room, the smell of chemicals began to make my head throb.

Kabuto-san was a walking talking complex. He was often sure in his actions, making him easy to watch over, but he always had doubt in the back of his mind, a hesitation that sometimes stalled my visions. Generally, I found him an interesting person to speak to. I often feel a strong urge to look farther into his future, but I hold myself back. Kabuto-san was aware of my abilities and seemed somewhat fascinated by them. His curiosity over my abilities never made me feel fearful like Orochimaru always did. And for this I respected him.

An odd interaction between us was he never questioned my questions, He knew it was best not to ask, it would take up too much of his time. Thus, getting answers from him was easy.

I thought back to my tick marks, I put my hand on the wall outside the door, finding the first one. Kimimaro's room was by the library, and the library was 150 tick marks from Kabuto's lab.

After a moment's consideration, I decided to head to the kitchen first, the kitchen was 134 tick marks from my room. Not wanting to get lost I walked back to my room, then found the kitchen. Inside I carefully navigated my way around the room and prepared some hot herbal tea. Once I poured the hot sweet-smelling liquid into a cup, I found a tray and placed the cup on it. Balancing the tray in one hand and using my other to navigate, I found the library, then I found what was now Sasuke's room. I knocked gently, and waited for an answer,

"Enter" an exhausted voice called from within. I opened the door, making a loud and long creaking sound as I entered the room. Sliding my feet carefully in front of me I moved forward until my toe found the bed. I carefully sat at the end and placed the tray on the bed next to me.

"I brought you some tea." I didn't need to see to feel his glare. Ice cold and menacing. "I'm Hibiki, I guess you can say I live here." Still silence.

"I am a tool of sorts to Orochimaru...anyway I know it can be hard to sleep here, with all the noises. And I know it's going to be louder than usual tonight, so I brought you some tea it will help you relax enough to fall asleep. Drink it if you want to." I said. I stood then and slowly found my way to the door. I placed a smile on my face as I left,

"Goodnight," I said as I closed the door behind me and felt a weight lift from me. That boy Sasuke, the air near him is heavy, nearly suffocating.

...

Sasuke's life was a misery, but it was worth the result in the end. His training started the morning after he arrived, it was brutal. Nearly none stop fighting, practice, running. And when he was not training, Orochimaru would use him as a test subject. Long needles, vials of liquid injected into his veins. Hot searing pain, exhaustion, and sometimes intense side effects. He was often performing small tasks and dirty work for Orochimaru. After a few weeks of training, he felt like a punching bag, dead on his feet wherever he went. At night He flopped onto his bed and refocused on his goal. Reminding himself of his personal mission.

One night an unexpected soft knock came at his door.

"Enter," he said. And the girl, Hibiki came in with a tray full of food. The Last time she left him with many questions _. Who was she? What is her purpose as a tool? Why did she seem to know him well? And could she be of use to me?_

"I thought you'd be hungry, Kabuto-san and Orochimaru aren't good at feeding others. Not the motherly type I suppose. This is probably your first good meal here." she said with a light tone, The air around her warm and gentle. Almost like Sakura. Sasuke shook the pink-haired girl from his head. Hibiki sat next to him on his bed again and put the tray between them. He took the tray and began to eat. It was the first good meal he had in weeks.

"I put some painkillers in the tea, it will help with the soreness. Orochimaru doesn't go easy, so you're going to need the help to keep you moving," she said.

Hibiki stood and before she left, she called back "I'll bring you good food whenever I can." and closed the door. Leaving him yet again with more questions. The girl did kind gestures and spoke so casually, but he could feel the emptiness in her. She put on a smile, but she didn't have real feelings behind it. Sasuke was empty too, but he was motivated, he had a reason for living. The Hibiki girl, it felt like she had no reason to exist. That she lived just because she was alive. Even with his limited knowledge of her and their brief meetings, he knew they were the same.

As time progressed Hibiki brought him food more often, and she would stay with him a little longer each time. She would ask about training, if the food was good, if he wanted to eat anything specific. She kept the conversation shallow, just the way Sasuke liked it. The light casual conversations had made Sasuke feel somewhat normal and helped him keep some sanity. Naruto and Sakura had once made him feel like this. The difference being Hibiki looked for nothing in their conversations. They spoke because they could, she sought to gain nothing from them. Like he did. So Sasuke would answer her, and on occasion ask something back. These interactions, they became a small light in his otherwise clouded world. It wasn't much, but it was something.

6 months passed, slowly but surely. He sometimes felt he wouldn't wake the next day, but he did. He felt that the next day would never come, but it did.

Most of what Sasuke knew about Hibiki was received from Orochimaru. He learned of her purpose, her job, her skills. He learned about her clan and legends that surrounded it. Orochimaru seemed somewhat mystified yet hesitant about her abilities. Sasuke suspected the man admired the ability but did not see much of its practicality. Sasuke did, however, analyze every move the blind girl made. How she spoke, how she reacted. And so far, his plans had an opening for her. She was a good tool to possibly have.

One day, Hibiki brought his food in like she usually did, Sasuke began to eat but felt something was off. He looked at Hibiki, who was normally smiling her calm fake smile, but the smile was replaced with a hard set look on her face. A serious face with a focused emotion behind it.

"Sasuke, I need to tell you something," Hibiki paused. She held a focused face as if choosing her next words with the greatest care. Sasuke waited.

"I'm not sure if you know this but Orochimaru intends to use you as his next vessel. His current one is dying quickly, and he desperately wants yours. Or more importantly your eyes. The man is obsessed with them. He wants to be able to copy jutsu, to have powerful genjutsu. I need to warn you Sasuke, Orochimaru's body is dying faster than Kabuto-san can keep up with. I've assured him he still has time but, he's getting anxious. I'll do my best to keep him from acting too soon. But your leash will be tight, you can't let your guard down. You can't trust Orochimaru or Kabuto-san, or his followers."

"Are you saying I can trust you?" he asked.

She laughed a cynical laugh, "Not at all. For all you know I'm lying to you. I could be here on Orochimaru's orders. I have my own reasons for working for Orochimaru, you can't trust anyone right Sasuke?"

Sasuke watched Hibiki for a moment, taking in how she held herself, trying to detect any odd behavior that could indicate a lie. After laughing so hard she was calm and relaxed now. As far as he could tell, he could trust her, to a larger limit than others. In a way, she was like a caretaker, an overseer. She had some interest in him but for what purpose he did not know yet. That reason kept her on his side, at least for now.

"Right." he agreed with a half-smile. She bid farewell and left.

The next six months were just as Hibiki told him. He was by Orochimaru's side nearly 24/7. Sasuke watched those around him with far more cautious eyes. He could see the pent-up anger in the test subjects. He could feel the hate that surrounded all that Orochimaru possessed. On the outside, he kept himself at an even temper but inside he was wound up and ready to fight at any time.

...

On a damp afternoon, not long after her warning to Sasuke, Hibiki was summoned to Orochimaru, he was in his bed, too sick to move today. She was guided by Kabuto-san and went into the room and when the door shut, was alone with the man.

"Hibiki my dear, come closer," he called.

She carefully found her way to him and she took his hand she knew was waiting for her. His skin felt wrong, scaly, dry, and corpse-like. A chill ran down her spine, but she kept her sweet smile.

"Tell me Hibiki, what news is there for me?" he asked, his voice like gravel. Hibiki cleared her throat, she closed her eyes and focused. She made a few quick checks, not wanting to stay vulnerable in front of Orochimaru for too long. She looked for anything that could jeopardize Orochimaru, or any actions that need to be taken, and changes that need to be made. Slowly she opened her eyes again.

"Anything to report Hibiki?" Orochimaru asked again.

"Yes sir, there are those inside our ranks wanting to usurp you. Mostly those who were replaced and are now disguised, most of them are related to the test subjects taken over the years. They wish to free the specimens and use your experiments against you. I suggest moving the prisoners' locations every so often. Shuffle everyone between hideouts, and maybe even make a new one and add it to the mix. Karin is a vital resource, she can keep prisoners in their place, and she poses no threat against you. These actions will keep them in the dark and unable to proceed with any plans." she answered. Her voice collected and professional.

"Thank you Hibiki," He said. Hibiki could feel his eerie smile. Finally, he let go of her hand and dismissed her. Hibiki left the room quickly, once outside a long shiver ran through her, being near that man was the worst.


	4. Chapter 4: The Fall Of Orochimaru

**Chapter 4. The Fall of Orochimaru**

In what felt like an eternity, two years had passed. Now 16, Sasuke has become a competent killing machine, while Orochimaru was fast approaching his body's limits. He was going to take Sasuke's body for his own soon.

After the Kusagakure Hideout was destroyed by Naruto and Sasuke's short reunion, Hibiki had been moved to the Takigakure hideout. It was smaller and newer than the other hideouts, the biggest difference was the lack of prisoners. The halls radiated a silence that both soothed and tormented Hibiki. The constant screams of Orochimaru's victims haunted Hibiki, but they also cleared her head of the incessant fears and guilts she had trapped inside.

Sitting in her room Hibiki laid back on her bed, anxiety making it hard to relax, hard to focus. A mix of excitement and fear for what was coming swirled chaotically inside. She took in deep breaths from her nose, and slowly exhaling through her mouth, riding her body of any doubts she may have. She tried to force herself to settle down to relax and sink into the bed. As she did her breathing, she slowly gained control and became less jumpy, but it wasn't nearly where she wanted to be. It would have to do, however. She took in another deep breath and closed her eyes.

She felt weightless as she separated from her physical form, entering the void. She walked along the river and found the current Sasuke. Her world was a little blurry, her anxiety making everything have a haze to it. She watched Sasuke as he and Orochimaru fought, and she saw Sasuke win. It was set in stone, no other possibilities showed themselves, it was time.

She fell back into her body and opened her eyes again and smiled slightly to herself. It was time. Slowly sitting up and shifting to the edge of the bed, she stood and walked to her dresser. She felt for the second drawer, opening it and extracted some of its contents. Setting the clothing back on her bed, she began to change. Sliding her clothes off and carefully maneuvering into her new clothes. Her favorite long white dress she often wore would no longer work for her, not after today. She needed stronger clothes made of more durable cloth. She changed into what she knew were going to be easier to move in, easier to live in.

Once she zipped her hoodie up, she returned to her dresser, this time she moved the dresser. It scratched across the floor in a loud sour sound. She reached into the open space and removed the covering, taking the contents of the small hole she had carved into the wall. Inside was her pack that she had been preparing in secret since Sasuke's arrival three years prior. She strapped the pack on around her waist making sure it was secure before leaving her room. Closing the door behind her for the last time in what would probably be a long time.

Smiling ever so softly, her heart racing, she walked down the twisting halls, counting the tick marks on the wall as she moved. In a nearby room, 56 tick marks from her bedroom, she opened the door and found the desk that sat in the back corner of the room. She pulled open the top left desk drawer and extracted the paper from inside, thin bills of paper in thick stacks, hiding it in her pack. She closed the drawer and the door behind her as she left. She counted the tick marks back to her room, then she moved on to Sasuke's room. Once she reaches his door, she stops and knocks gently, like she always did.

"Enter." a voice called from within. The voice had slowly matured over the last two years, it was far more masculine than it was in his youth, and far colder as well. Fixing her smile, a bit to appear more friendly, she opened the door and stood before Sasuke waiting for his response.

Unknown to Hibiki, Sasuke smiled at the girl he's come to know. Her more feminine dresses traded for black capri pants, and a light green zip-up hoodie. She had a large travel pack resting on her hip. Hibiki was ready, and he knew why. She foresaw his intentions and planned to come along. Of course, she knew.

"I'll be outside, come find me when you are done." and with that, she left the door ajar after her. She slowly found her way to a back entrance of the hideout, and then she climbed a ladder up to a hatch. She twisted the wheel and popped it open, leading out into the real world. How long had it been since she was last outside? 9, 10 months? Orochimaru kept her safe but confined to the halls of the hideout. To her surprise and joy, it was drizzling outside, the icy cold water touched her skin in a refreshing welcome back to the real world.

Hibiki carefully navigated her way through the forest, tripping often but eventually finding a large rock nearby and taking a seat. She pulled some strong binding cloth wrappings from her pack and began to work at her feet. She needed to be able to navigate the unknown and shoes made that harder for her. She needed to be able to tell the difference between the surface of the ground she walked on, to ensure she stayed on marked paths and going in the same direction. Her foot and ankle needed to be securely wrapped to keep from getting too hurt, but her toes and heel were free and open to the world. She worked carefully and slowly, ensuring a tight hold that didn't disrupt the flow of blood in her feet and ankle. Over the years she had practiced repeatedly, and now the practice paid off. After wrapping both feet she placed the remaining cloth back into her pack.

The cleansing drizzle had stopped, and she could feel the warmth of the sun begin to come out from behind the clouds and down through the trees. Birds chirped at one another above her, and all around her, the forest was alive with activity. The hideout felt like a deadland, nothing was alive, not even the living. Out here, however, everything hummed with life. As she waited for Sasuke she let herself sink into the tranquility of the environment.

As Sasuke started to exit he thought of Hibiki. She would be a useful tool but also a hindrance and extra weight. Hibiki had over the years become important to him, but he wasn't going to let anything get in the way of his revenge. The revenge he had been preparing for all these years. As much as he didn't want to abandon Hibiki, he would need to accept the fact he may have to at some point. Being blind, Hibiki would need someone to guide her, stay with her, even carry her if they are running. But Hibiki knew this. There is little Hibiki doesn't know, she is full of valuable information that can be utilized.

Once outside Sasuke quickly locates Hibiki. Finding her not far off, sitting on a nearby boulder her eyes closed, and her posture relaxed. Sasuke slowly approached her,

"How far have you looked into," he asked. She opened her eyes and stared blankly in his direction.

"Only till now. Tell me what you want, and I'll tell you the location," she replied.

"Suigetsu," he commanded.

Sasuke watched her close her eyes and relax her body, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. A few minutes later she opened them again.

"Suigetsu was moved back to the eastern hideout it's near the border of Land of Rivers and the Land of Fire." she informed him.

Sasuke knelt in front of Hibiki, "Get on." he instructed. She stood from her rock and reached out blindly feeling for Sasuke and finding his back not far in front of her. She got on his back and Sasuke began running.


	5. Chapter 5: Finding the First

**Chapter 5. Finding the first.**

It had just become June; the lands were hot and dry. Occasionally a soft drizzle fell over the land for a short burst of time. It took the two a full day to reach the border to the Land of Fire. They had rested under a nice tree before moving on. At the border, they sat at a Yatai to eat ramen.

"So Sasuke, out of all the prisoners from the failed underwater army experiment, Why Suigetsu?" Hibiki asked as she slurped her noodles.

"Why do you ask?" he replied.

"I know that Suigetsu isn't exactly the type to follow orders plainly, He's the type to usurp a leader once certain goals are met or run away when things are going downhill." Hibiki continued.

"You've already looked into him it seems." Sasuke replied.

"I thought it might be a good idea," she said

"Your right, he's not one to be completely trusted, However, his abilities, including his combative abilities, will prove to be useful I'm sure. Besides you could warn me of his movements, and if any are a liability to our mission."

"Of course, I can, but will I?" Hibiki teased.

"Who knows?" Sasuke played along.

The two finished their meal and took off again, it would take two days to cross the Land of Fire to reach the Land of Rivers, then another day and a half to reach the eastern hideout. Sasuke moved as fast as he could, Hibiki wasn't heavy, so it wasn't too much of a bother to him to carry her, but he was happy he would soon have someone else to watch after her. Their conversations only took place while they ate and centered around the mission, discussing money, and costs. Otherwise, she stayed quiet and still as he moved, an appreciated action. Sasuke was not one for carrying other people, however, he made an exception this time out of pure need. As they reached the entrance of the hideout, he stopped in a clearing and let Hibiki off.

"Wait here, I'll get him," he ordered.

"Alright." she agreed.

The day was sunny and warm. Hibiki lifted her face so the sun could more directly touch it. Orochimaru's Hideouts were usually cool. Not cold, but far from warm. Being underground all the time, Hibiki forgets how much she loved the sun.

Her mind drifted to her home, to the long hot summer days and boring cold winter ones. She remembered the feeling of her mother's face, the shape of her nose and eyes, how her jaw was lined and how her ears were small. She could feel her mother's short soft hair, and the warm calming hand he clung to. Her mother had shown her so many things. In winter, when Hibiki was stuck inside most of the time, she did chores for her mother. She washed the dishes, swept, and dusted. The scarce furniture they had was in a fixated place, never moved. The creeks and the room's temperature navigated her. And soon her mother began to teach her to sew. While she needs someone to pick the right color string, Hibiki learned how to sew ripped clothing. In winter Hibiki would sometimes leave the house and go to the village nearby.

Nearby footsteps brought Hibiki from her train of thought and back to reality. Sitting still she listened to the steps slowly approach her.

"Hibiki let's go," Sasuke called.

She walked forward with her hand outstretched, feeling around for obstacles. She was able to quickly find Sasuke's arm. Holding on as he led her out of the forest and onto the road. They slowly approached the sound of splashing.

"He's enjoying his freedom." Hibiki snorted.

At a small puddle/pond, Suigetsu swam, happy to be free of his tank. The hot sun felt nice after being in the hideout for so long. He heard walking and a snort, he turned and saw Sasuke approach with a faintly familiar face. As they got closer, he could see the pale lifeless hair of the girl from three years ago.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Suigetsu shouted, shocked. His voice cracked a little as he said this, causing him to blush as she laughed.

"Put some clothes on." Sasuke sighed in slight frustration. He didn't exactly want to be walking around with a blind girl and a naked guy. Suigetsu gets out and puts on some clothes Sasuke had left for him nearby. He approached the two and says with an accusatory voice. "I thought I was the first one to join your team?"

Sasuke looks at Hibiki for a moment then turns to Suigetsu, "She's a tool." he replied in an even matter-of-fact voice. Sasuke took Hibiki's hand and places it on Suigetsu's forearm. "I need you to keep an eye on her for now."

"You mean I have to be a babysitter?" he complained

"Just do it." Sasuke retorted with annoyance. Suigetsu sighed, he didn't want to lead around a blind girl, but he also didn't want to fight an already irritated Sasuke. And one choice was safer than the other. Suigetsu looked at the girl, Hibiki, she hadn't changed much. Her hair was shorter, now reaching her rib cage, it was loose and hanging off her shoulders. She let her bangs cover her face, hiding her eyes from others.

As they followed Sasuke, Hibiki smiled and said, "It's been a while. How are you?"

"Oh, just great, being poked and prodded on a daily basis is just the best. You should try it sometime." Suigetsu frowned.

"Don't be bitter," she warned.

"Fine I guess, better now," he said. "What did Sasuke mean by 'tool'? What's your use?"

"I can see the future," she answers.

"No way. HA! Even if you could see the future you can't SEE anything." He chuckled but stopped when he was punched in the ribs.

"I can see, but only through my visions. I guess you could say it's a trade-off, I can't see what's in front of me, but I can see where I need to be," she argued.

"Yeah, fine, alright. But being called a tool must suck. At least I can be an equal member of the team…. Or well more equal than you are."

Hibiki sighed, she had a sad look on her face. "I was a tool for Orochimaru too. I'm used to it. Everyone wants the ability to know the future. I would rather choose who uses me than be abducted and forced. Besides I'm vulnerable being blind, many can abduct me easily. I was safe with Orochimaru and now I'm with Sasuke. He uses me for my foresight, and I use him as a shield of sorts. I know the day will come when I will be abandoned by him when I am no longer worth the trouble. But by then I will have found a new shield." she explained.

"Well, you're definitely vulnerable. How the hell you get around is a wonder to me." he agrees with a smile. Feeling his ease and light atmosphere Hibiki relaxed. She smiles, smacking his shoulder. A laugh bubbled up in Suigetsu and was out before he could stop it. It was his first real laugh in what felt like forever.

Suigetsu looked over and saw Sasuke walking a little way in front of them, Taking the opportunity, Suigetsu quickened his pace, to catch up with him.

"By the way, it was your team, wasn't it? The team that brought down my great predecessor, Zabuza Momochi. Whatever happened to his blade, the Executioner's Blade?" he asked. "Let's do this if you tell me where the blade is, and I take possession of it, then I'll be willing to help you."

Sasuke gave a slight nod in agreement. The trio continued to walk along the road then following a trail that leads to the gravesite. At the summit of the hill, the wind whips Hibiki's hair around. She let go as Suigetsu ran up to the gravesite. With a closer inspection, he growled at the missing blade.

"Sasuke Sorry, but without the blade here, me joining you will have to wait," he said sourly.

"What will you do then?" Sasuke asked.

"What else? I 'm going to look for it." Suigetsu replied. "The blade of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist was passed down from generation to generation. That was the system. I aspired to become one of them and trained for it. Since Zabuza Senpai is gone I'm the one who should possess that Executioner's Blade."


	6. Chapter 6: Zabuza's blade

**Chapter 6. Zabuza's blade**

The two boys turned to Hibiki, who was standing closer to the forest edge. Hiding in the shade of the trees.

"Hibiki find the blade," Sasuke ordered.

"Alright but I'm going to need some time." She agreed.

Knowing Hibiki needed to be still, Sasuke leads the trio to the town below. The village was full of bustling people. A hum of voices filled the air. Hibiki's head hurt a little from the commotion, she wasn't used to such a loud environment. Orochimaru's hideouts were always so still and quiet. Always having an eerie feeling of abandonment.

With his hands on her shoulders Suigetsu had to push and pull Hibiki in different directions to keep her from running into anyone. An annoying task for Suigetsu and a jolting activity for Hibiki. They go a little further into the crowded town before stopping at an empty restaurant. Sasuke entered with Suigetsu and Hibiki following. Inside was cooler and the wood floor was smooth compared to the rough gravel they had been walking on. Hibiki's feet were sore and throbbed a little. The soft surface gave her a little relief.

At the booth, they were led by the hostess, Hibiki slid in, Suigetsu sliding in next to her, and Sasuke was on the opposite side. Hibiki took a deep breath. Centering herself and relaxing. It was quiet so it was easier to fall into the trance-like state she could view the future in.

Hibiki was very still and Suigetsu could tell she wasn't with them anymore. Like her body was empty. The waitress took Suigetsu's enthusiastic order, and not long after his smile widened with the sight of real food.

"Oh, this yogurt is the best. It's been so long since I had anything like this. I was in a water tank all this time." he said shoving spoonful after spoonful of yogurt in his mouth.

"Why are you gathering us together anyway?" He asked between bites.

"I'll tell you when we've all assembled." Sasuke coldly said. He watched Hibiki closely, waiting for any sign of movement from her.

"All right, let's go to conquer this world!'" Suigetsu proclaimed, with his spoon in the air. "You're not going to say something like that, are you?" Suigetsu asked. "Do that on your own time."

Sasuke's eyes darkened, "I'm aiming for something much bigger."

The waitress brought over more yogurt and lingered a little longer than she should have. Suigetsu stared at his bite of food.

"If anyone else started saying that, I wouldn't believe it for a second. But with you, I think maybe it's possible and that's the strange thing." Suigetsu admitted.

30 empty glasses piled up on the table before Suigetsu tentatively poked Hibiki on the cheek with his spoon.

"Is she going to be alright?" He asked and poked again.

"Leave her alone," Sasuke replied. Not a second later did Hibiki's eyes flash open startling Suigetsu. With an angry pout, she slapped Suigetsu on the back of the head.

"Don't bug me while I'm like that. It makes it twice as hard!" she complained. Suigetsu rubbed his sore spot, it stung a little from her slap. Her angry pout was kinda cute…. He thought, before frowning and focusing again. The faintest of blushes appearing on his cheeks for a moment. What the hell was he thinking?

"So?" Sasuke asked.

"Some guy named Tenzin Daikoku has it. He lives in a castle in a forest to the south," she reported.

"Damn it Tenzen Daikoku, eh? He was the aide to the lord of the Land of Water. Apparently, many of his men were killed during Zabuza Senpai's coup d'Ãtat in the Hidden Mist." Suigetsu explained.

"I guess he had a grudge from back then," Sasuke said. With the sword located they wasted no time. The group stood up and went to the cashier.

"That will be 271 Ryo please." the chirpy girl said.

"How much yogurt did you eat! Man, Suigetsu I know it's probably been a while but slow down. You are going to get sick at this rate." Hibiki complained as she opened her pack. She handed Sasuke the money, he counted out the correct amount and handed the change to Hibiki. She closed it inside her pack again.

"Thank you, dear customer, please come again!" the girl called as the trio left. Once they had navigated outside the village again, which only grew in crowd size since they entered the restaurant, they walked on and then stopped outside the gates.

"Alright let's go," Sasuke said. Suigetsu kneeled and Hibiki got on his back. Sasuke and Suigetsu began running to Tenzin Daikoku's location.

"So how could you find the sword? Isn't the future really vast and can't it change?" Suigetsu asked.

"Well, I guess you could say I skipped around the future of the village, found Tenzin and then focused on his future. I saw where he was and that he had the sword in his possession. The sword wasn't too hard, it's a notable object. If it were a piece of paper you dropped 5 years ago, I couldn't find that."

"Why," he asked again.

"It's easier to find an object of importance, it's a rock in the river of time."

"I have no idea what you are saying, but your vision is pretty useful." he smiled

"Only sometimes," Hibiki glumly replied.

It took them the rest of the day to reach the castle. They settled in a small pasture hidden in the forest. The castle could still be seen from the tops of the trees.

"So, what's the guard route like?" Sasuke asked Hibiki. They faced each other, sitting at the base of trees. Suigetsu leaned on Hibiki's tree listening in.

"Guard route? Let's just go get it, why do we need to know the guard route?" he scoffed, he didn't peg Sasuke as a guy who feared some average guards.

"Its light at the moment, easy to sneak in and out undetected, but if you wait about a day, say noon tomorrow, you'll have twice as many in the building, plus Tenzen." Hibiki ignored Suigetsu's comment.

"We'll rest here until then." Sasuke informed Suigetsu.

Without any fuss he sat down and stared at the castle, _so he wants there to be more guards? This must be a final test…_ Suigetsu thought.

As the night grew later both Hibiki and Sasuke had fallen asleep, but Suigetsu was too wired to sleep. He was finally free after all. He watched the stars move across the sky and listened to the soft noise of the forest. He relished in the feeling of a solid form, having a body again was a luxury.

He peaked over and looked at Hibiki, she sat with her arms holding her, and her knees brought up to her chest. Her head rested on the tree's trunk. Her twitched and moved a lot, she also made soft whimpering sounds, she began to sweat slightly.

Hibiki then jolted awake, her fresh dreams of death and uncertainty swarmed her mind. She felt around her, trying to get her barring's. Her had landed on a cold object, she flinched away before asking, "Suigetsu?" in a soft whisper.

"Yeah, it's me, what?" he asked back. Hibiki leaned back on the tree and slowed her breathing,

"Nothing, sorry for waking you." She whispered as she moved her body away from Suigetsu. She placed herself in a similar sleeping position and dozed. Suigetsu could tell she was sleeping lightly now, alert and ready.

The next day the three slowly woke up and ate some food bars Hibiki had. Suigetsu hated the taste but was too hungry to care. Every so often he would look over at Hibiki, remembering last night. How scared and confused she was.

"How's the guard root now?" Sasuke asked Hibiki. She finished her bar before checking,

"Good, they're all in position, it's also going to be sunny today," she reported.

"What you report the weather now too?" Suigetsu scoffed. Angry she punched him in the arm.

While She did her best to glare at Suigetsu, he snickered while rubbing his sore arm.

Sasuke stood while they bantered,

"Stay here Hibiki." Sasuke ordered.

Suigetsu stood too, stretching before following Sasuke to the castle.

Relaxing Hibiki watched Sasuke and Suigetsu make a game of their venture. Watching them as they moved through the castle with ease, even with all the guards. Then when Suigetsu was laid out on the floor, cut in half, Hibiki laughed at the men's response. As she sees the building start to crash down, she returned to the real world. It was still the early afternoon, and it was still incredibly hot. A few minutes pass before She hears Sasuke and Suigetsu comes back into the clearing.

"Have fun Boys?" she asks standing.

"Do I still have to carry her? I mean I have the sword on my back..." Suigetsu began to complain. A cold glance from Sasuke answered his question. He groaned and went to Hibiki. He bent over and swept her from the ground, causing her to eep in surprise. In Suigetsu's arms, she was held like a princess would. Hibiki laughed.

"Shut up." Suigetsu argued. Hibiki reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, to help keep some of the weight distributed right. Sasuke smiled in his head at the ridiculous sight of Hibiki in Suigetsu's arms. Hibiki was no princess, and Suigetsu was far from being a brave knight.

"Hibiki, find Karin," Sasuke ordered. She closed her eyes for a few short minutes before answering.

"Southern Hideout, she's to be transferred next week, but since Orochimaru's gone, that won't happen." Suigetsu groaned at the coming exhaustion that would come with this trip.


	7. Chapter 7: Karin

**Chapter 7. Karin**

Lucky for Suigetsu the Southern Hideout was near the Land of Waves. So, the journey was shorter than he thought it would be, but it was just as exhausting. Not only was he carrying a sword he was not used to yet, but he had to carry Hibiki as well.

On the third day of travel, they began to cross the water. At a casual pace, Sasuke and Suigetsu walked across the oceans still surface, each step making a plinking noise like that of someone stepping in a puddle, instead of walking over the ocean. The clear and windless day brought life to the endless ocean landscape; Seagulls cawed overhead. Swooping down and gliding back up.

"Damn Hibiki why are you so heavy?" Suigetsu complained.

Hibiki frowned and did her best to glare, "I'm not heavy, you're just weak Suigetsu!"

"I don't think s-" Suigetsu began but was interrupted by a smack on the head.

"You know its never a good idea to tell a girl she's fat." She reprimanded him.

"I didn't say you were fat, I said you were heavy," He argued.

"Do you not know how to talk to girls?" She asked.

"Your one of the only girls I have ever spoken to." He confessed.

A long moment of awkward silence passed,

"Can I ask you something?" Suigetsu said to Sasuke.

"What is it?" He replied.

"Why are you gathering men?" Suigetsu asked.

Sasuke looked to the sky for a moment, "I have a goal and I have a better chance of achieving it with a small platoon. Ever since I approached Orochimaru, this moment is all I've thought about, and I've been pre-selecting highly skilled Ninja."

"Oh? So why would you choose Karin? Unlike me, she's a follower of Orochimaru." Suigetsu asked.

Karin was the warden of the southern hideout where Orochimaru kept some overflow of test subjects Hibiki found for him, locked up. A bleak Island In the middle of the ocean, too small and insignificant for passersby to be drawn too. Hibiki had been the one to find this Island many years ago.

"After claiming to be under Orochimaru's orders," Suigetsu continued, "she tinkered with my body countless times. Besides, her personality turns me off."

"Tinker with your body huh?" Hibiki said suggestively. Suigetsu glared and relaxed his arms, causing Hibiki to drop in a falling motion. She squealed and hung onto Suigetsu tighter. Suigetsu smiled in triumph, holding Hibiki properly again.

"Granted, there were other strong Ninjas I could have swayed. But she has a special power no one else possesses." Sasuke concluded.

"Well, I'll admit that." Suigetsu agreed.

Later that afternoon Sasuke and Suigetsu stepped onto the white sand beach of the small island. Suigetsu roughly set Hibiki on her feet and walked on. The sand felt soft, the strange grainy feeling was oddly pleasant. The sand was hot, burning Hibiki's toes and heel as well as unstable, causing Hibiki's steps to carve into the sand. She stumbled forward trying to get a solid stance in the sand. It was hard to walk in at first, but she soon got the hang of it. Ahead of her, the boy's voices grew more distant, not wanting to be left behind, she quickly followed the noise. She tried to be careful with each step, but the boys were moving faster than she could keep up with, so she had to pick up the pace. As she got onto the more stable rock surface she moved forward smoothly.

All too suddenly, however, she was on her hands and knees, they stung with the sudden impact. Her toe stung as well from the impact from whatever she tripped over.

Sasuke stopped when he heard the soft thud of her fall. He and Suigetsu turned and watched her slowly get up by herself. She fumbled a bit more trying to find her footing but caught up, unknowingly running into Sasuke,

"Sorry," Hibiki said as she took hold of the back of his shirt. The trio moved on, reaching the entrance to the Cave system that was underground.

Sasuke turns to Suigetsu, the two exchange a look, "you have one too," Suigetsu complained.

"Yours is more suitable," Sasuke retorted. With a light giggle of amusement Suigetsu took his sword in his hand,

"Open sesame" he grinned.

The grinding cutting of metal on metal hurt Hibiki's ears as Suigetsu slashed the door open, crumbling with a bang.

The warmth of the day vanished as they entered. Hibiki felt a shiver run down her spine, deep guilt flooded her,

 _No! Don't do this! You had to survive!_ She thought.

As they got deeper into the caverns, the mumble of prisoners came closer. And as they passed by the cells, Hibiki could feel the glares of those inside their animal cages. She lowered her head and tightened her grip on Sasuke's shirt.

Suigetsu watched Hibiki as she did this, not liking the way she gripped onto Sasuke.

 _Damn Playboy_ , he thought.

As they proceeded, the smell of mildew and mold became stronger, small leaks dripped water down the walls and from the ceiling, an ice-cold drop landed on Hibiki's face, and rolled down it like a tear.

"So, it's you, after all, Sasuke. The fact that you're here alone must mean that the rumors were true." a strong voice called, Sasuke stopped and Hibiki lifted her head.

"Geez, that's mean. I'm here too." Suigetsu complained.

"Me too," Hibiki called peeking from behind Sasuke's back.

"And? What brings you here?" Karin asked, eyeing the trio.

"Sasuke has something to discuss with you. We can't stand out here and talk, so take us inside, will you? It's been so long since I've walked, I'm exhausted." Suigetsu said.

"What do you want to talk about?" Karin asked.

"I said let's not stand out here, Karin. Although I know you're totally ignoring me." Suigetsu complained.

Karin leaned forward and sniffed Suigetsu. "Humph! You disgust me." Karin scoffed.

"What'd you say?" Suigetsu growled

"Cut it out Karin, take us inside," Sasuke ordered.

"Fine," Karin said as she turned. Hibiki let go of Sasuke's shirt and found Karin's sleeve. She pulled on it a bit and smiled. Karin looked at the shorter girl, and moved on, hiding a smile from the boys.

…

Hibiki remembered the day she found Karin. It was like any other day, she was sitting in a room with a few men surrounding her, they took notes, on names and locations she would tell them about. Inside the bright river, Hibiki walked slowly through a village, seeing it three weeks into the future. The town didn't have any people that Orochimaru would find a worthwhile investment. She was about to move onto the next village when a desperate cry came from a nearby ally. Knowing the helpless and desperate always sought people like Orochimaru, Hibiki followed the sound. In a deserted corner of the village, two men stood leering at a young girl.

When Hibiki saw the girl, she was surprised by her hair, was the brightest color Hibiki had ever seen. It boldly stood out, drawing attention to the girl. Hibiki couldn't help but admire it.

"Help me!" she cried out again.

"I'll bet this redhead is a remnant of the clan from the Hidden Eddy, you were right when you said she'd be worth something." The men laughed. Hibiki followed along with the girl's life, it was filled with sadness, disappointment, and fear. She would be used over and over until her life would be drained from her. Hibiki opened her eyes and was in darkness again. The men bustled about,

"A girl with bright red hair, Karin Uzumaki, She will of great use for Orochimaru." She said.

A few days later the vision changed, Orochimaru stepped in, Saving the girl, changing her fate.

…

Karin stood before a young man named Kabuto, it had been a week since Orochimaru took her in. She had rested and was well fed. Since her escape from the Northern fortress of the Grass Village, she had a hard time finding help, or food.

"You're Karin? The one Lord Orochimaru mentioned?" Kabuto asked. Karin nodded.

"I understand you have an unusual power." He continued.

"So where is Lord Orochimaru?" she asked.

"He's a very busy man. So, you're assigned to me. Come with me." He led her down a hallway lined with cells.

"Who are these people?" she asked as she saw them glare at her.

"We use them for experiments. The research Lord Orochimaru is conducting requires a lot of data. I'm thinking that you can help with that." He said dismissing the people as if they were animals.

"Okay, here we are." He pointed to a cell with a single man, he was obviously hurt.

"He was the subject of an experiment, but we're in a bind because he's gotten so weak.

I also want to see your power." Kabuto explained taking notes on his clipboard.

"Okay" Karin agreed. Kabuto opened the cage door and she hesitantly stepped inside. She offered her arm to the man who, after a moment of consideration, bit down hard. She flinched as a hot burning feeling came from where he bit. The man sucked chakra until he was in good health again. Once he was done Karin walked out of the cage, her head down.

"That's quite amazing! Leave it to Lord Orochimaru to see your potential. I'm counting on your help." Kabuto said as he relocked the cage. Then after a few more notes on his clipboard, he walked back down the hallway. Karin sat on the floor across from the man she just healed, she sobbed softly burying her face in her arms. She shivered with fear and loneliness. Would she ever escape? Or would she die like her mother did? Karin had now run down to her only option. If she tried to return to the Hidden grass, she would be killed for sure.

"I like your hair." A soft voice broke the cold silence. Karin peaked through her arm and saw a girl about her age. She wore a white dress, and black headband holding her hair away from her face. Her hair was long and stopped near her waist. The girl's eyes were like the dead men's eyes she often saw. Clouded, colorless, and looked at no specific thing.

"Who are you?" Karin asked,

"My name is Hibiki," She answered.

"what do you want?" Karin sniffled.

"I thought we could be friends." She said as she squatted near Karin, there faces more level now.

"Why?" Karin asked again.

"I think we have a lot in common." She responded.

"Like what?"

"We both want to have a choice." She answered.

…

Karin leads the group down the hall and into one of the closed rooms. Inside was a sofa, and a small kitchenette, the Southern hideout was a far smaller than other hideouts, its staff rooms limited to a half dozen at most.

Sasuke walked in and plopped down on the sofa, Suigetsu grabbed Hibiki's arm and sat them near Sasuke. Karin closed the door and turned to Sasuke, she crossed her arms, waiting for an explanation.

"Karin, follow me. I need you." Sasuke ordered.

"Huh?! Why would I follow you? I'm under orders to oversee this place!" Karin retorted.

"Orochimaru is already gone."

"What about the prisoners here?" Karin asked.

"Speaking of prisoners, they were awfully quiet, have the rumors about Orochimaru's death reached them?" Suigetsu asked.

"The number of prisoners has slightly lessened since I came here last. Also, there are signs of recent digging in the grounds in front of the entrance." Sasuke added.

"Is that what I tripped on?" Hibiki asked horrified.

"Karin, with that sharp intellect, information control must be your forte."

"I get it. Rumors about Orochimaru's death began spreading among the prisoners, so in order to avoid a riot, Karin has been wisely taking action Is that it?" Suigetsu observed.

Hibiki folds her hands together, she had seen Karin's planned actions, planting a spy among the inmates and if anyone began gossiping about Orochimaru … Karin was cautious, she had had this plan as a backup for a while.

"You'd better stop talking like that!" Karin demanded

"You've been trained by Orochimaru, all right, man, you're scary. You probably sensed our presence long ago. You could've even killed us by now." Suigetsu noted.

"If you were alone," Karin added

"But not Sasuke?" Suigetsu asked.

"I didn't say that! Sasuke is a colleague… and so is Hibiki. I wanted to see if the rumors were true that Sasuke killed Orochimaru."

"I did kill him," Sasuke confirmed.

"How can you say that so casually?!"

"Suigetsu Release everyone who is held prisoner here," Sasuke ordered.

"Wha-?! Geez, you always order people around." Suigetsu sighed a smile in his voice.

"You can't just come here and take over!" Karin demanded "You don't know what it took to keep things in order here,"

"Without prisoners, there won't be any need for a warden." Sasuke clarified.

Suigetsu stood up, and sensing the tension, Hibiki stood up too. Grabbing Suigetsu's arm as they left. The door slammed closed behind them. The two walked in silence, Suigetsu glanced at Hibiki, her eyes looked… sad? Was that a sad look? Suigetsu tried to remember back when she spent time with him about two years or more ago. On the last day, she had a similar look, but this look was more guilty. Before Suigetsu could say anything, they had reached the prisoners again. Suigetsu kneeled and shared the good news with the prisoners.

"I knew it! The rumors that Sasuke Uchiha brought down Orochimaru were true!" a man exclaimed in glee.

"Yeah, it's true." Suigetsu confirmed.

"What'll happen to those of us in here?" another asked.

"Of course, you're free to go." Suigetsu smiled.

"A-Are you sure?!" the man asked with a hushed voice.

"Yeah, I was once imprisoned too." Suigetsu said. Hibiki felt the pain in her chest again, she lifted her hand over her heart.

"But as you can see, I'm free. I'm going to unlock the cells. Before that, I have one favor to ask." Suigetsu said.

"What is it?! Ask us anything!" the prisoners called, excitement in their voices.

"Well, the one who defeated Orochimaru and gave us our freedom is Sasuke. When you're out, spread the word to everyone a man has appeared who will bring peace and tranquility to this world." The prisoners vigorously agreed to the conditions. Suigetsu turned the key and opened the iron gates. The people inside rushing out and running to the exit.

One man stalled, however, turning to stare at Hibiki. He lifted his large hand and thrust it forward, his years of rage behind it. His first contacted Hibiki's face, the force of the punch sending her flying to the wall with a bang. The back of her head slammed against the concrete. Shocked Suigetsu rushed to Hibiki, he kneeled and held her arms. An anger like Suigetsu had never felt bubbled up inside.

"Hey bastard!" He called out to the retreating man. Hibiki placed a hand on his shoulder, gaining his attention.

"I can't say I didn't deserve that. Just let it go." she smiled, wincing at the pain. With a worried look, Suigetsu carefully placed his hand on her cheek, and gently turned it up so he could have a better look at the damage. Blood poured down her face, over her lips and dripping off her chin. Her nose darkened from the bruising showing prominently on her pale skin.

"Man, he got you good," he commented, using his thumb to wipe some of the pouring blood. "He may have broken it."

Hibiki shrugs her shoulders, "It will heal."

Suigetsu watched her for a moment, the break looked painful, yet she didn't show her pain. Suigetsu helped her stand up, wrapping his arm around her waist as support. The two walked back to Karin and Sasuke. However, when Suigetsu tried to open the door, he found it locked.

"Man, Karin!" Suigetsu yelled kicking the door.

"It's ok, help me sit down?" Hibiki asked. Frowning Suigetsu obliged. Across the hall Suigetsu helped Hibiki sit, she was beginning to shake a bit, the pain swarming her.

"So, what the hell was that? Did you know the guy or something? Plus, all the other prisoners were giving you death glares." Suigetsu frowned. Hibiki lifted the corner of her mouth slightly.

"Who do you think put them here?" She said, leaning her head against the wall. Suigetsu wasn't surprised, but he wasn't expecting it either. Of course, Orochimaru used her for something, finding prisoners was one of them. Still, he didn't like the way they looked at Hibiki. It bugged him for some reason.

Hibiki's face was swelling and getting darker, Suigetsu tentatively traced her nose with his finger, it felt straight, so it probably didn't need resetting. Hibiki winced away from him, the throbbing becoming worse.

"Sorry." He apologized. "How long is it going to take?" He asked.

"Not long," she answered,

"What is he a quick finisher," Suigetsu jokes. Secretly praying Sasuke didn't hear him. Hibiki laughed, then winced then giggled some more. The smile on her lips filling Suigetsu with pride, he made her smile.

Suigetsu was turning to the door when he noticed Hibiki's knees. They were red and scraped, he took her hands and studied her palms, they too were red and scrapped.

"Your prone to getting hurt huh," he quietly commented to himself. Hibiki closed her hands over his.

"Yeah, I guess so." she agreed. Suigetsu looked at the locked door, Hibiki needed help and Karin was taking too damn long. Standing he walked to the door and drew his sword, with a quick swing of his blade, the door crumbled.

"Hey Karin, Hibiki needs you," he said. Karin huffed but quickly went to Hibiki's side.

"Who the hell did this?" Karin yelled.

"One of the prisoners," Suigetsu answered,

Karin Started mumbling under her breathe, an old habit she had when she was angry and irritated. Taking Hibiki's arm and getting her inside the room, sitting her back on the sofa.

"I'll be right back," she said before leaving the room.

Sasuke stood and stretched, before turning to Hibiki.

"While Karin heals you, find Juugo." He ordered. Hibiki nodded and closed her eyes, calming herself as best she could.

Karin came back and got to work on Hibiki, cleaning her hands and knees, placing badges on them and healing her nose.

After Karin finished her work, Hibiki's eyes opened and she turned to Sasuke's direction, "Juugo is at the Northern Hideout, The journey will be long, and you will need all of your energy Sasuke, I suggest we wait the night and leave first thing in the morning."

"Fine." Sasuke agreed. Karin did all she could for Hibiki's nose, taping it and giving her pain meds to help her sleep.

Once she was done, Karin excused herself and packed a few things she would need. When she returned to Hibiki, she found her sleeping, leaning on Suigetsu shoulder as he too slept.

 _Hibiki's a good girl, Suigetsu better keep his nasty chakra away from her._


	8. Chapter 8: While in Another Place

**Chapter 8. While in another place**

 _So soft… Grass, a field? I sat up and opened my eyes, I was in a tall grass field, it stretched on and on. It was warm and the wind is blowing softly. Where am I? Is this a vision of the future? I stood and turned in a circle, spotting a small home in the distance, my home. I rushed to it, but it wasn't my home. Our home was far more decrypted. This house looked new, I took two steps up onto the porch, and I opened the door. Inside was a warm looking home, blurred pictures displayed. I felt calm. Where was I?_

…

Hibiki awoke with a jolt. A hand rested on her shoulder, gently moving her. She was in the abyss again. Her sightless reality.

"Hibiki, wake up," Karin said, gently shaking Hibiki a little more. The fog of her dream cleared and Hibiki took a deep breath, slowly releasing it. She stood and stretched, sighing. Her neck hurt, stiff from the odd position she slept in.

"Come on Hibiki, We need to go." Karin smiled. Hibiki's hair was an absolute mess, sticking out in weird places. Karin giggled, and brushed Hibiki's hair with her fingers, taming it. Karin took Hibiki's hand and the two walked through the hall and out into the day. It was warm again today. At the edge of the beach stood Sasuke and Suigetsu, waiting for the girls to show.

Karin got Hibiki on her back and the small group started off back across the ocean.

Karin hung a little behind Sasuke and Suigetsu, the two boys walked in silence.

"How's your nose feeling?" Karin asked. Hibiki touched her nose with her hand.

"A little sore, but better. How does it look?" Hibiki smiled.

"Better than it did. But it will be bruised for a week at least." Karin answered

The group walked at an even pace, and after a few hours, they reached dry land again. On the road, Karin let Hibiki down, the two held hands again. As they walked little to no conversation happened. The only ones who spoke were Karin and Hibiki. Suigetsu listen in on their conversation.

"...But yeah it's been good lately, not too much going on. It's been nice, I've been able to experiment with scents. I made this really nasty one, it was so gross." Karin smiled. Hibiki laughed.

"Well, you could use it as a weapon!"

"I really could it was that bad!" Karin laughed.

Karin hadn't laughed or smiled so much since she last saw Hibiki. The girl's chakra is faint, but light, like air. Being with her made Karin feel lighter too. She didn't have anyone else she could feel so relaxed with.

"So what's new Hibiki? Anything exciting?" Karin asked.

Hibiki stayed silent, Karin's smile dropped and she turned her head to look at Hibiki. Her smile was gone, and all humor as well.

"Hibiki?" Karin asked. Hibiki stayed silent, her eyes far off, distant. What was she seeing? Karin stopped, leaning Hibiki against a tree on the side or the road.

Sasuke and Suigetsu stopped as well. Turing to see Karin feel Hibiki's forehead.

"What's wrong?" Suigetsu asked kneeling on Hibiki's other side. "Is she alright?"

"I'm not sure," Karin frowned. Sasuke slowly approached the three, and he too knelt down by Hibiki. He moved her bangs from her eyes, seeing that they took on a grey color. Sasuke didn't like this.

"Karin Get her on your back, we'll run for a while and stop at an inn At the border," Sasuke ordered. With Suigetsu's help, they put Hibiki back on Karin. They started running, Sasuke moving faster than Suigetsu or Karin could keep up with. Sasuke seemed worried.

 _How does he know what's going on?_ Suigetsu wondered. Suigetsu stuck close to Karin and Hibiki.

The group reached an inn as the sunset. Hibiki was still in her strange state. It had been at least 3 hours, was she ok?

Sasuke got them a room, and in the room helped Karin lay Hibiki in a futon. Sasuke's bland expression concerned Suigetsu even more.

 _Is Hibiki going to be left behind?_ He wondered. Karin went to get dinner while Sasuke excused himself. Suigetsu was alone with the unconscious girl. He gently felt her forehead again, she wasn't hot, no fever. Suigetsu gently pushed her bangs back with his hand. Showing her entire face.

Her eyes were open, but she wasn't awake. Her normally empty like brown eyes looked grey and like a dead man's eyes.

Suigetsu put his other hand on her chest, she was still breathing, slowly in and out. He felt her heartbeat. The rhythm steady, and unbeknownst to him, his heart began to match hers.

Karin opened the door and was NOT happy. She rushed Suigetsu before he noticed and kicked him across the room.

"Keep your nasty hands off Hibiki!" she yelled. "What kind of creep are you?" she demanded.

Suigetsu was confused at first but then his face burned from embarrassment. Turning red.

"No no no no no, it's not what you think Karin!" Suigetsu tried to defend himself. But Karin was not hearing it. She quickly threw him out, slamming the door behind him.

"Pervert!" she called through the door. Suigetsu leaned against the door and slowly slide down until he was sitting. His blush was still strong.

He knew what Karin must have thought she saw. Him touching the breast of an unresponsive Hibiki. He wasn't even thinking about where his hand was!

The feeling of her breast stung his hand. They were not big, smaller than Karins. But it was Hibiki's. Suigetsu quickly stood up and rushed out of the inn and into the nearest pond. Shoving his head in.

…

Once Karin had slammed the door and locked it she returned to Hibiki's side. She was the same still. Seemingly Lifeless. Karin ate her food, keeping an eye on Hibiki. As it grew later, Karin laid in her futon next to Hibiki and fell asleep.


	9. Chapter 9: In Another Place

**Warning... may disturb some readers. Continue at own risk.**

It Hurts, It Hurts. My voice is gone, I cannot scream anymore. I can not cry out for help. Where am? Who am I? It hurts so much.

A sudden bright light burned my eyes, I tried to move but my arms and feet are restrained. Panic fills me and I struggle. I pull at my restraints, become more and more desperate. I moved so much blood came from under the restraints, I did not care, this only made me struggle more.

A voice I knew all too well-sent fear through me, running down my spine, sending ice through my veins, shaking me to my deepest core. My struggles stopped. My body felt heavy.

Orochimaru appeared from the darkness, A mask on his face, a surgical apron on his body. Ready for surgery? For...Experiments?

"Its no use to struggle. You won't escape." Orochimaru laughed. my heart stopped in my chest, my shaking stopped. Everything stopped.

I tried to call out for help but my voice was trapped. my screams loud but silent. Why can't I make any noise?

Orochimaru would never experiment on me, not now, not with my vision at stake.

"Let's begin shall we?" he asked.

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!

His ice-cold blade touched my skin and trailed down my body. a path of burning and agony in its wake.

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!

It hurts, it hurts. Please! It Hurts!

I watched, horrified, terrified, stunned.

He reached into my body and I could feel his hands on my innards.

I could FEEL him inside me,

iside my stomach, in my chest. Digging, Why is he digging?

WHY WAS HE DIGGING?

Tears burned my eyes and blurred my vision, it hurts. It hurts.

Please mom, dad, anyone…

"help." I choked out. My voice wasn't mine. It wasn't mine.

Anyone, please stop this… stop, please….

I'll be good! I will be kind to my sister, to my brother.

I'll be good, Please. Please. I'll be good.

Mommy? Daddy? Where are you?

I'll be good. I promise. So, please

PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!

But it didn't stop, it kept going, for days, weeks, months, years...


	10. Chapter 10: Comfort

**Chapter 10: Comfort**

Hibiki sat straight up, gasping for air. She was drowning, she needed air. Her throat felt thick, closed. Ghosts of the cuts stung all over her. So many cuts.

"Hibiki!" a voice screamed in her ear.

 _Dark, why was it so dark? Where was the light?_

"Hibiki!" a voice screamed again.

Then suddenly in the darkness came another body. Hugging her, pulling her in, cradling her…..

 _Why was it so dark?_

"Hibiki!" Suigetsu called.

 _I'm Hibiki_ she thought.

And slowly she calmed down, her eyes poured water. The feeling of tears foreign and uncomfortable.

Her head was heavy, she leaned it into the body. A heartbeat? Fast but soothing.

She closed her eyes and sobbed, listening to the heartbeat, being held tight, hearing soft hushes.

"Suigetsu?" Hibiki asked she looked bad. Her eyes red from her crying, shaking, quivering,

"Hibiki?" Suigetsu asked. "Are you ok?"

Hibiki's brows furrowed in confusion and fear.

"Hibiki?" Suigetsu asked again, His voice straining.

"I'm," Hibiki whispered. Her throat sore.

"Ok." Hibiki finished.

"What can I do for you?" Suigetsu begged, petting her head with his hand.

"A bath, I need a bath, I need to wash it off." Hibiki croaked out, tears pouring from her eyes again. Suigetsu looked around, _Karin isn't back yet_ , he thought, _and Hibiki was shaking bad_.

"Alright." He agreed, determination in his voice.

Standing up with Hibiki in his arms, curled against him, clinging to him, Suigetsu walked down the hall and into the men's communal bath. He slowly put Hibiki on the bench in the changing room. He looked around the bath for any sign of another person, it was clear. He returned to the door and locked it.

"Suigetsu?" Hibiki squeaked.

He rushed back to her side, she grabbed onto his shirt and quivered more. With a deep breathe, and a slow exhale Suigetsu began to help her undress. Working slowly to not frighten her or startle her. Once she was completely undressed, Suigetsu gently picked her back up, then carried her to a washing station and began to wash her.

Hibiki sat still, in shock, but she was here with him. Once he finished rinsing her off, he took her to the bath, sitting her inside.

She was gaining her color back, and the fear, the terror in her eyes faded into exhaustion. Suigetsu sighed, she was doing better.

He left her in the bath while he got towels and a robe.

Hibiki felt the hot water against her skin. The air was steamy but clear, clean. Slowly guiding her back to reality,

Or her reality.

Suigetsu returned and let her soak for a few minutes more before taking her out and bringing her back to the changing room. He dried her and helped her put her robe on. By the time he unlocked the door again and was carrying Hibiki back to the room, she had lulled into a peaceful doze. He tucked her into his futon and was about to go look for Karin when Hibiki grabbed onto him.

"Don't leave. Just in case." She begged. Taking her hand Suigetsu sat back down and watched Hibiki fall asleep.

…

Karin entered the room but stayed quiet. She walked over and sat across from Suigetsu, who had dozed off while in his sitting position, Hibiki holding his hand tight in her sleep. Karin turned to where Hibiki's bed was, it was ruined. Soaked in sweat and piss. She must have woken up while Karin was out. The door was broken from when Suigetsu must have busted the door down.

There was a lot Karin wanted to say about how Hibiki had wet hair and was in a robe, but that would have to wait.

Whatever happened to Hibiki, was bad.

After Karin woke up the next day she found Hibiki in the same state. Sasuke knocked on the door and called for Karin to come out. She happily (but regretfully) rushed to Sasuke. He looked normal, but his chakra, it felt menacing.

"Come with me," he said.

So she followed Sasuke out, (but not before locking that pervert out of the room.) and down the road. Sasuke Handed Karin a cloth,

"I need you to find him." He ordered. Karin did as he asked. They found the man, and Things became clear. What happened to Hibiki became clear.

...

Hibiki slept a dreamless empty sleep all that night and into the morning. As she woke up, Hibiki's ears filled with a light snore. She sat up and felt her hand being held, or was she holding his? Suigetsu was next to her, asleep still. Gently she laid him down and stood up. Found her way to the door and stepped out.

"Hibiki!" Karin called from down the hall, She ran and hugged Hibiki tight. "Thank God you are ok!"

Karin's perfume was familiar and grounded Hibiki more.

"How late are we, For getting Jugo?" Hibiki asked, concern covering her face.

"Don't worry, it's been a little over two days."

Hibiki sighed in relief, she hadn't lost time…

"We need to get going then, Sasuke must be unhappy," Hibiki said.

"A little, but he was worried too. Are you sure your ok? Do you want to eat?" Karin asked.

"Yeah food sounds good," Hibiki said, forcing a soft smile. Karin led Hibiki to a small room and brought her a plateful of food and a glass of water. Hibiki ate as slowly as she could, but she was starving.

"I'll get your clothes and we can head out as soon as your ready," Karin said. Standing and leaving the room, Karin knew what happened to her, What really happened, But she didn't ask question Hibiki wasn't ready to answer.


	11. Chapter 11: Juugo

**Chapter 11: Juugo**

"We have to walk again? I'm exhausted." Suigetsu yawned.

"Humph, We're going to the northern hideout now. At this rate, you'll be killed the moment we get there." Karin snapped.

"I only know it through maps but is the place really that bad?" Suigetsu yawned again.

"The northern hideout is no ordinary hideout. That place is where human experiments are conducted. And the unmanageable monsters that result are kept locked up there." Karin explained.

 _I had to survive, I had to survive, I had to survive!_ Hibiki chanted in her head. But flashes of what had happened repeated to torment her.

The group had left the Inn only a few hours ago. Karin had Hibiki on her back, only furthering Hibiki's guilt over slowing the group down. An unexpected rock that changed the rivers flow. Hibiki could feel that things were different, off. This isn't the reality she had foreseen. They now walked blindly. Hibiki's head still hurt, and she couldn't muster the energy to have a good look at this new flow.

 _No one needs to know, everything will be ok_ she thought anxiously. She didn't like not knowing her way. Of not seeing her path, it made her nauseous, nervous, anxious.

The pace was slow but steady. Karin looked back on Hibiki every few minutes to make sure she was okay. Each time she peaked, Hibiki was here, but in deep thought.

Every yawn from Suigetsu was a pin in Hibiki heart, and every step was a reminder of her failure to keep the group moving. Two days were wasted because of Hibiki. Those two days, however, felt more like 10 years to her.

At a steady pace, two days passed and the group had ventured into a canyon area, with tall walls of rocks and large boulders scattered about. They were getting close.

"Stop!" Hibiki yelled and Karin, let her off her back, she fell onto her knees still weak from her 'illness'. Suigetsu sat down on a nearby rock.

Hibiki closed her eyes and furrowed her brows in concentration. She had a flash vision, a short undetailed look at danger. However, she needed to know more, for the others. She watched the future unfold in a blur, like static on TV when the antenna is out.

"The Prisoners know of Orochimaru's death. They have escaped and are all over the hideout." Hibiki reported. As she squeezes her left eye shut. A splitting headache coming from even that little effort.

With the others warned of the danger they were approaching and the caution they needed was employed, Hibiki was on Karin's back again.

"I don't know what your goals are But you want me to join your team despite knowing about Juugo?" asked Karin.

"I know him a little. We fought each other once. He had an unusual ability and was quite formidable. But I couldn't figure out what he was thinking, and I didn't really like him. I understand he sought out Orochimaru. He's got to be crazy." Suigetsu replied.

"According to rumors, Juugo usually has that unusual impulse well under control. But when he loses it, he transforms into a ruthless killer. His personality and appearance change completely." Karin continued glaring at Suigetsu.

"In other words, he's a maniac who loves to kill people." He summed up.

"But to Orochimaru, Juugo's ability was enticing. He invented an enzyme, based on Juugo's body fluids, which induced the same condition in other Shinobi. You guys know it too, right? That's The Curse Mark. Juugo is the one and only original carrier." Karin said.

Then something crashed on the ground in their path, It looked somewhat grotesque, its skin red and he had gained the features of what could be a scorpion.

Hibiki, Hearing the crash slid off Karin's back and slowly moved her way backwards and to the side, hitting a bolder, she hid behind it. Being with them now, she would be extra weight.

"What is that?" Suigetsu asked.

"He's already in the Curse Mark Second State." Karin announced, tensed and ready for an attack.

But Sasuke's patience was thinning, Hibiki had slowed them way down, But he needed her still. Taking his sword, he sliced the guy in one move, the man transforming back into his human state.

"The northern hideout is over there. Let's go and see Juugo." Sasuke said as he walked away. Some of his patients had returned.

"Huh? Hey! Wait, Sasuke!" Karin ran after him. Suigetsu approached the man and nudged him with his foot.

"Huh? Who is this guy?" He asked jealousy, he didn't get to be the one to hurt him. With a pout, he turned around to see Hibiki behind a nearby boulder.

"Hibiki, come on," he called. She stood and slowly felt her way around the bolder, once in an open space, she walked as quickly as she could, He watched her walk forward and she found his arm. Together they continued and caught up with Sasuke. Standing before the entrance, corpses of the guards filled the area. The prisoners lined up eagerly waiting for new prey to come.

"Where is Juugo?" Sasuke ordered. Hibiki closed her eyes and searched.

"Still in his cell."

"Well then, I can fight without worrying who they are." Suigetsu smiled with joy, pulling out his blade.

"Just avoid killing them," Sasuke ordered.

"You're from the Hidden Leaf, after all, You should've killed that guy back there too, you know." Suigetsu frowned

"Let's go."

Hibiki took Karin's sleeve and the two snuck around the side of the battle, going mostly unnoticed. They stood at the front entrance and paused. Hibiki heard Sasuke and Suigetsu approach.

"Suigetsu take Hibiki,"

"Babysitting again?" he complained while grabbing the end of Hibiki's sleeve.

Karin and Sasuke Hurried on, with Suigetsu and Hibiki close behind them. Every so often Suigetsu swung his sword but the majority of the prisoners have either backed off or are already taken care of.

Karin Obtained the keys from the Guards room and the group moved deeper into the hideout. The halls become indistinguishable from each other. They stopped at a major junction.

"Karin, which way?" Sasuke asked

"Sasuke! Why're you ordering me around, huh?!" Karin yelled.

"Can you just hurry and check? The ability you pride yourself on, right?" Suigetsu teased.

Glaring she shot her hand up "That way!" she declared. Suigetsu lead Hibiki down the hall they were directed down.

Suigetsu looked down at Hibiki, she looked better than she had in days.

"The halls are empty so I'll let you walk on your own," he said letting go and creating a small distance between them.

They haven't been alone since the time at the Inn. He had no idea how to talk to her now. He felt embarrassed, again being glad she was blind, his face was a mess of emotions. What should he say? How are things? Are you feeling better? Do you even remember what happened?

"Thank you." in the midst of Suigetsu's mental panic, she had spoken.

"What?" he asked now turning his attention to her. She stopped.

"Thank you, Suigetsu." she repeated, she lifted her head to the direction his voice was coming from. She was looking at him without seeing him.

His overall uneasiness faded when he watched her.

"Yeah, whatever. I was the only one there so I did what I had to do." his hands hid in his pockets. His eyes venture up to the ceiling. One good thing about Hibiki, was he didn't have to look at her while they talk, social graces about expressions didn't apply.

"I'm sure Karin or Sasuke would have done better. He was worried about you." he sighed.

He froze when a small body pressed against his. Her arms wrapping him in a hug. Awkwardly he put his arms around her.

From a distance, it looked like two siblings forced to hug after a fight, a loose hesitant touching.

"Hugs are weird." Hibiki said. Suigetsu burst out laughing and the two separated as he gripped his side in pain from how hard he was laughing.

"Yeah they are." He agreed. Hibiki smiled and chuckled along with him.

Hibiki heard Suigetsu stop laughing, she was confused at his sudden silence.

"God damn it Karin!" he yelled.

"What wrong?"

"She sent us down the wrong hall, must have dragged Sasuke with her. Why the hell didn't you say anything!" Suigetsu asked in shock and slight embarrassment.

"What? I'm Blind shit head, How the hell was I supposed to know?" she yelled back.

"You could have at least noticed they weren't making any noise!"

"What's your excuse? You have vision! You should have noticed them gone first! How long have we been walked without them?" She asked.

"Probably 30 minutes at least." Suigetsu said into his hands. He squatted down and double facepalm.

"Then let's turn around and go find them," Hibiki grumbled. As the two walked down the hall they continued to argue about whose fault it was that neither noticed they were alone.

"You should have noticed something first." Hibiki yelled.

"Your the one with magic sight! Why didnt you know this was going to happen?" Suigetsu yelled back.

"Its not magic dumbass!" She snapped

"Why didn't you foresee them leaving?" he asked again. Hibiki punched his arm, surprised she actually hit it. She could hear that he was next to her, and close, but didn't know how close. Suigetsu rubbed his sore arm, She may be blind but she was not weak.

"My vision isn't magic, it's complicated and requires focus. Plus I don't use it for every little thing!" She yelled. They continued in silence. Much to Suigetsu's anguish, he had noticed His solitude with Hibiki but didn't connect the dots. He was never going to admit it though. They walked on back to where Suigetsu guessed they had split up, but the damn halls were too similar.

"Which way do we need to go?" He finally asked. They stood in the center of the junction. Hibiki crossed her arms and made her best angry face. Seeing her pouting made Suigetsu think of a grumpy hamster. Repressing a smile, and failing he gave in.

"Fine It was my fault, now will you look please?" He asked. Hibiki's face light up.

"Fine," she said. Hibiki took a deep breath, closed her eyes. Her brow Furrowed in concentration. It was only a few moments before she snapped her eyes open.

"Suigetsu, we need to hurry!" she said in a panic.

Hearing the urgency he scooped Hibiki up and ran in the direction Hibiki told him. As they got closer, they could hear a fight, crumbling cement and the ground shaking. Suigetsu found Karin Quickly, her red hair a dead giveaway that could be spotted from space. He dumped Hibiki onto her feet.

He then turned to Karin, "You're mean bitch. You tricked me didn't you?" Suigetsu accused.

"You got lost on your own!" Karin objected.

"Following your directions!" He argued.

"How would I benefit from tricking you anyway?" Karin opposed.

"So you can be alone with Sasuke." Suigetsu teased with a knowing smirk.

"You were alone with Hibiki!" Karin teased back while blushing.

"Th-that's different, You ran off with Sasuke!" Suigetsu blushed.

"A-As if I'd want such a thing! Umm, I mean Well, whatever." Karin turned, ending the argument. Suigetsu too dropped the subject, He peaked at Hibiki who was not with them, she had her eyes closed and her brow furrowed in concentration.

"Wh-whatever. What's going on here?" Suigetsu asked.

"Juugo went wild," Karin answered.

Hibiki stood in a void, watching the river move, She took the opportunity to reassure herself of her path.

Her 'illness' had changed the course of time she knew. It was an unlikely event, one that she had no way of knowing it was even possible. Searching along the possibilities, she found what she was looking for. She focused in and saw an image of Juugo.

He was older, calm and sitting on a bench. He had birds and other animals greeting him. The bench sat on a hill that was a good viewpoint of the village. He smiled.

Now that she had found what she needed, she returned to the real world.

Opening her eyes, Hibiki felt a little disoriented. Karin had her by the arm, ready to move if danger came.

"Suigetsu?" Hibiki called out.

"He's helping Sasuke," said Karin.

"Are we by Juugo's cell?"

"Yes. Do we need to move?" Karin asked.

"No, let the boys have their fun, they should circle back around. They'll be here soon." Hibiki sighed.

After a few minutes, the boys did end up back at Juugo's cell.

"Karin lets go wait outside," Hibiki offered. Karin shrugged and the two left the boys alone.

Outside it was warm still. The sun growing close to setting. Karin watched Hibiki cartwheel and walk while in a handstand… Hibiki always liked doing this, but the opportunity rarely came.

Karin Stopped Hibiki when she heard the three moving toward the exit. Hibiki's clothes a little dirty from her own fun.

Sasuke emerged into the sun and did not stop, he walked on. The four followed him. He brought them to a place where all four could sit down at. Much to Suigetsu's joy.

"Now I have all the members I had in mind. So I will tell you my goal. My goal is to kill Itachi Uchiha of the Akatsuki." Sasuke declared in a calm voice.

"Thought so." Suigetsu said while Karin took on a face of worry.

"And I want to borrow your strength for that. Naturally, I won't force you. Karin, You said you had business to take care of." Sasuke asked. "What will you do?"

"W-Well On second thought, it's not that urgent" Karin stuttered.

"Karin Be honest with yourself. Isn't being with Sasuke all you really want?" Suigetsu teased.

"Th-That's not true! Whoever said such a thing? That's! I!" she began to panic.

"See, I hit it right on the mark. That's why you're speechless. So obvious. I know all about it Long ago you had a crush on Sasuke." Suigetsu smiled meanly. Suigetsu's head was promptly hit by Karin, Turning into water before impact.

"Suigetsu, don't get Karin so worked up I thought I told you to be cooperative." Sasuke ordered. Feeling like a father with misbehaved brats.

"All right Sorry, Karin. But as much as you hate it I'm sticking to Sasuke like glue. At least until I possess one of the Seven Hidden Mist Blades Kisame Hoshigaki Great Shark Fin sword." Suigetsu smiled.

"So you're just sword collecting? How lame." Karin sneered. He and Karin began a staring contest of hatred.

"Juugo, what about you?" Hibiki asked.

"Kimimaro used to say that you were his reincarnation, Sasuke And he bet his life to protect you. So I want to see with my own eyes just how great of a Ninja you are." Jugo announced.

"From this point on, we move together. And henceforth, we will call ourselves Hebi." Sasuke officially announced, proud of finally moving closer to his goal.


	12. Chapter 12: Hibiki's Confession

**Chapter 12: Hibiki's Confession**

Two days in on their walk to some location Sasuke was leading them to, Hibiki had not spoken to Suigetsu much. Karin talked at Sasuke, who was most likely not listening, and Hibiki and Juugo hung back, keeping their conversations private. Suigetsu grumbled at the uneven number of people. Hibiki attached herself to Juugo right away, she held onto his shirt while they walked. Juugo felt off, it was weird to have someone stand so close. He feared for her death as they walked. They stopped to rest then on the first full day of travel Hibiki had Juugo hang back from the group, just enough for them to have a private talk.

"I'm not sure how to begin, Well as you probably heard I'm Hibiki. I worked for Orochimaru for many years. I have the ability to see the future, and Orochimaru found that useful. As does Sasuke, I'm just a tag along until Sasuke no longer needs me."

Hibiki smiled as the words flew from her mouth in no order. Her smile forced and fake looking. She spoke quickly in a rush of sorts. She continued on about to how her vision worked in general and how she is blind. Most of which Juugo could not understand from her speaking so fast. After she finished, Juugo took his turn, he spoke slowly and without much detail. Their conversation was surface level and Hibiki looked uncomfortable even with this light conversation. Guilt and obligation filled her and she knew if she didn't tell Juugo soon, she would lose the confidence to do so. Kimimaro was a touchy subject for both of them.

On the third day, they stopped and stayed the night in an inn for the first time since they left the northern hideout. The inn was old and barely used, a good place to stop with Juugo still in his prison clothes. The group sat around the same table, and ate silently. Their makeshift group was no family, and this situation was far too formal for them. In the middle of eating, Hibiki closed her eyes and furrowed her brow. She opened them just as fast and turned to Sasuke who sat across from her.

"They won't have anything for him," she said. Sasuke looked at Hibiki for a moment then went on with his meal ignoring the comment.

That night when everyone else was asleep, Juugo snuck away from his bed, and sat outside on the Deck, watching the moon. A lot had changed so suddenly, he felt like he needed a moment to let everything catch up with him. The night had a soft breeze that made the leaves play their soft percussion. How long had It been Since he last saw the moon? Last saw real daylight? He couldn't remember.

During the day his bird friends joined him and sung to him, happy to see him. He forgot how much he missed these friends. Everything turned into darkness when Kimimaro died. His one hope, his best friend had died, and Juugo could do nothing for him. His hope, his smile left that day. It still isn't back. But Sasuke posed a possibility for Juugo, to live a life Kimimaro would have wanted him to have.

Soft creeks alerted Juugo of an approaching visitor. Hibiki came out onto the deck, standing for a moment, hesitant before she sat down and let her legs dangle over the edge of the deck. The breeze moved her hair in a gentle sway, Hibiki had pinned her hair back so her whole face was open to the world. The two sat for a long period of silence. She folded her hands in her lap, and squirmed with anxiety.

"I've been needing to tell you something, and I'm worried about how you will take it." Hibiki began,

"What is it?" Juugo asked not looking at her.

"It's about Kimimaro," Hibiki said, pausing for Juugo to take it in.

"Is it something he would have wanted me to know?" Juugo asked.

"Yes, most of it, but also another part that I need you to know."

"Alright," Juugo said, taking a breath and slowly exhaling. If Kimimaro wanted him to know then he would listen to whatever it was.

"It's a long story, but simply put, I knew Kimimaro pretty well. Orochimaru had me search for those who would follow him, who he could experiment on, who he could enslave. I was the one to find him, Kimimaro. I remember seeing him all alone and desperate for an answer. Orochimaru retrieved him and Kimimaro became so obedient and faithful. To him Orochimaru could do no wrong. After some time he learned about me. That I brought Orochimaru to him, He was grateful."

"We became friends, I guess. He helped me learn how to make food even though I can't see. He had objects in specific places and taught me how to and when to find and use them. It's one of the most important memories I have." Hibiki paused for a moment, settling her emotions. "He taught me a lot of things. He taught me to survive on my own."

"I guess you can say I found you too. When Orochimaru learned about you, he was going to retrieve you but Kimimaro volunteered to get you. After you first met, he came back to the hideout we both lived in and he told me all about you. He would talk about you all the time. His voice was always so kind and sweet when he spoke of you. You made him happy. Far more happy than you know." she smiled. The two sat in silence, remembering their shared friend.

A Tear Hibiki rarely willingly allowed to fall did so, only a few ran down her face before she claimed herself again. Tears would only make others pity her. Kimimaro taught her this too. To be strong in the shinobi world.

"After Orochimaru knew Sasuke was coming, He asked me about the best course of action. I told him it was very likely he would be stopped if left alone. I gave him the names of those who could get him. All but one. When I got away from Orochimaru that night, I ran straight to Kimimaro. I told him the truth, the future he faced. I told him of his death, how he will die if he goes. I was still searching for a cure, it was hard to find but I know it was there somewhere. He would live if he stayed, if he let me search some more. He asked me how important he was to the mission. I tried to lie. I told him so many lies doing my best to make him think staying was the best choice. But he saw through me of coarse." Hibiki giggled. "He knew me so well, I couldn't lie to him even if I wanted to. He made me tell him the truth. If he didn't go, the mission would fail, and Sasuke would end up returning to Konohagakure. I told Orochimaru of the highly likely death of all those who went to get Sasuke. Neither he, or Kimimaro cared. Kimimaro would die for Orochimaru, and Orochimaru would kill anyone to get what he wants."

The two sat in silence, Juugo took Hibiki's hand and held it tight. He could feel how upset she was getting, talking about Kimimaro. He was unsure at first, but knowing these few things made Juugo believe Hibiki was, ultimately, a good person. A good friend to Kimimaro, and would be a good friend to him as well. This little connection was the first he felt since Kimimaro died. He didn't want this connection die.

"I begged him to stay, to choose any path but this one. I reminded him of you, how much you mattered to him. But His mind was set. He gave me a hug and asked for a favor. He wanted to see, what it would be like if he lived. He told me to pick the best outcome, no matter how unlikely. And I showed him, I let him live it for as long as I could. But it's hard to show others what I see, Especially for long periods. I let him stay until I couldn't stand. He brought me back to my room, and thanked me. He told me to do what I could to give you the best outcome I could. He ordered me to make sure you lived on. It's the only thing he's ever wanted. After he closed my door, I never heard him again. It was hard, when Sasuke got his old room. I buried the memories, the feelings as best I could, but I always hoped that after I knocked, I would hear HIS voice."

Hibiki stopped, she had to keep the sob from coming out. They sat together in silence, a long silence….

Suigetsu woke up to find both Juugo and Sasuke gone. Their Futons empty, against his bodies wishes to return to sleep, Suigetsu stood and went looking for the two. Sasuke was strong but if anyone got to kill, Suigetsu wanted to do it. Down through the halls, Suigetsu came upon a common room, inside He found Sasuke Hiding in the shadows by an open door.

"Hey Sasuke.." Suigetsu started to say but stopped as Sasuke's finger flew to his mouth. Ordering silence. Suigetsu crept in and stood near Sasuke, looking out onto the deck where Juugo was sitting. It took awhile for Suigetsu to find Hibiki behind his figure, sitting next to him. A pin stuck him in his chest. They spend three days talking and now their best friends? Or… Suigetsu banished the thought before he could think it. He needed a better look. He snuck around to the other side and peaked out from a door that was closest to Hibiki.

From where he looked he could see she had tear marks on her cheek, her eyes sad, guilty, and lonely, Suigetsu didn't like it. He began to think about what would make Hibiki cry and could only think of that night at the inn before they got Juugo. The night she screamed in pain and fear. The night Suigetsu had to face an unfamiliar side of himself. Even worse, Juugo's monster sized hand had Hibiki's swallowed. The two turned to each other, he spoke a few words. She nodded and she stood up, her hand was released. A soft sigh of relief from Suigetsu was stopped by her next action. While standing she was more evenly sized, her head a little taller that Juugo's sitting self. She took her hands and placed them on either side of his face, slowly she closed her eyes and furrowed her brow, she leaned in and pressed her forehead to his. He too closed his eyes. They stood like this for some time, maybe 3 minutes. Each second causing Suigetsu to grow continuously more upset.

The two pulled back and stared at each other. It was over, a blush and smile appearing on her face. Did Hibiki blush like that? Suigetsu had never seen it.

Why wasn't he the one to make her look that way?

Stiffly Suigetsu left the room and got himself outside and plunged his head into the nearest puddle of water.


	13. Chapter 13: Like Cats

**Chapter 13: Like Cats**

The next day Suigetsu looked like a zombie. Hibiki walked with Karin today, while Juugo seemingly daydreamed as they moved on. Suigetsu couldn't even look at Hibiki without feeling a pain in his chest he couldn't quite place. The group moved for a few hours before Suigetsu felt like falling over.

"I can't go on." Suigetsu groaned. "Let's take a short break."

"As long as you drag your feet like that, we'll never get there!" Karin yelled.

"Well, pardon me. But unlike you, I have a very delicate constitution." Suigetsu said sarcastically.

"Huh? Look, just evaporate, you water ghost!" Karin yelled.

"Why don't you get lost instead? I thought you had somewhere else to go?" Suigetsu yelled back.

"We're here," Sasuke announced, shutting the two up.

In the valley below them sat an abandoned town. It was ghostly and gave an eerie feeling. Buildings decayed and grew mold from the rain and lack of care. As they entered deeper into the desolate town, Sasuke came to a stop before a seemingly random building.

"What a creepy-looking place." Suigetsu yawned. The group entered the building and walked through the dark halls.

"A hideout in an old ruin like this? It's news to me." Karin brayed.

"Orochimaru has nothing to do with this. My clan used this as a weapons store. We'll prepare for the battle here." Sasuke explained.

"The passageways look so similar, it's easy to get lost in here." Suigetsu observed.

"But what a depressing place. It stifles my breath." Karin cringed.

"Sorry if it's depressing here." a voice called from the darkness.

"It's been a long time, Denka and Hina." Sasuke turned and greeted two cats as they emerged from the shadows.

"It's young Sasuke, after all." One said

"What's your business here?" said the other.

"Weapons and medicine and various other things. We're preparing for battle." Sasuke explained.

"This is Oh, a talking raccoon dog? Hey, come over here." Suigetsu bent down and called to the animals but jumped back when they hissed and scratched at them.

"They're ninja cats, don't approach them carelessly," Sasuke warned.

"You should warn us about stuff like that from the beginning." Suigetsu complained to Sasuke.

"Did you bring us a present?" one cat asked.

"Here, a bottle of catnip." Sasuke offered.

"Thank you." one said.

"Follow me. I'll take you to Granny Cat." Said the other.

They continued through the building until they reached a bright room, cats of various ages were scattered about. The room filled with soft mewing. Sasuke walked forward and greeted an old woman as Hibiki found a wall and sat down, a few cats took interest and began to investigate. They climbed on her and sniffed. Hibiki smiled and let the cats do as they pleased, petting a few when they pushed their heads into her open hand. The others began to wonder the room as Sasuke dealt with the shopping. Growing board of the shop's wears, Suigetsu squatted and did his best to attract the attention of some of the cats. A few came close to sniff before retreating when Suigetsu reached to pet them. This continued to happen, annoying Suigetsu. He looked over at Hibiki who was surrounded. Some got into her lap and meows for attention, others climbed onto her shoulders and looked like parrots on a pirate. She smiled as she got soft noses pressed to her skin in curiosity. Suigetsu smiled at the sight. He walked over and sat closely next to her.

"How are you doing that?" Suigetsu asked as the two cats on Hibiki's lap growled at him.

"I'm not doing anything. Cats just tend to like me." She giggled. Suigetsu pouted,

"Why do animals not like me? Birds and other small animals run. So do cats apparently." he said gingerly trying to pet one. But it fled from his hand.

"Well first off, you carry a big ass blade around with you, most animals will feel at least defensive." Hibiki joked. Suigetsu rolled his eyes, though he agreed that may be a contributing factor. "Secondly you need to let them come to you, and only interact with them when their ready, you know go with the flow." She giggled.

"Hibiki I can turn into water, I'm always with the flow." Suigetsu said nudging her with his arm. After a few moments, Hibiki smiled as she came up with an idea. She reached out and after a little searching found Suigetsu's forearm. She slid her hand down to his and brought it closer to her. She put her hands beneath his, his fingers in the spaces between hers. Her hand was smaller than his, but he didn't engulf hers as Juugo's did. Suigetsu felt a little proud of this. She used their combined hands to stroke a cat who had wandered into Hibiki's lap. It purred and laid down. Together they gently stroked the cat until it began to purr loudly. Suigetsu's hand moved with Hibiki's and slowly she slipped her hand out, letting Suigetsu continue the motion with his hand.

"You're a lot like a cat Suigetsu, you can't just try and grab a cat. You have to approach it with good intentions and a gentle hand." Suigetsu leaned back and the cat looked at Suigetsu with an angry face. It meowed as it climbed into his lap. He started to pet it by himself.

"Even this one is too small." the cat girl whined.

"Sorry." Juugo apologized. Hibiki smiled and called out to Sasuke.

"I told you they wouldn't have anything that would fit him." She teased.

"Granny, don't we have something bigger for him to wear?" The girl asked.

"In that box over there!" granny responded.

"Nothing fits," she reported.

"Then just wrap that curtain around him! I don't run a clothing store!" Granny yelled back.

"Granny! What a rude thing to say, considering he paid us!"

Juugo grabbed a curtain that hung closest to him and wrapped himself in it.

"Fine," he concluded. Not two seconds later did Suigetsu burst out laughing. Juugo needing a curtain as clothing? How Big was this guy? The cats ran off leaving the loud area.

"Suigetsu!" Hibiki warned, hitting his arm. He slowly calmed his laughter.

"Hibiki, Suigetsu," Sasuke called. Hibiki reached found Suigetsu's arm, he helped her get up, and they all walked back out to the villages main entrance. The rain fell harder, and each member of the group put a hooded cloak on, ones they had acquired from the shop. Sasuke looked up at the clouded sky and considered his options, how to handle the situation. He turned a looked at Hibiki.

"Hibiki?" He asked. She smiled and closed her eyes for a moment.

"A cave, northwest until we hit the border, then due west to a small mountains base." She instructed. Karin got Hibiki on her back and the group set off in the directions Hibiki had told them.

...

The cave was tall enough so that Juugo didn't have to duck, and deep enough so a fire's smoke dissipated enough so it couldn't be seen from outside. The cave sat hidden behind rock covered entangled roots of a tree. Well hidden from common view. Some ways inside the cave it has a tunnel that curves and has a small pocket with mostly flat walls and a smoother floor. They made this a base camp where they could rest and regroup. Paying for a hotel right now may work against their search for Itachi. While they had money, spending it too much could be a mistake. Itachi was not going to be found easily, so saving the money helped prolong the period of time which they can search.

As Juugo started a fire, Karin went to a nearby village for some basic food, and Sasuke left to get wood. Hibiki took her sweatshirt off, to dry some from the rain, she found the fire and took her seat. She closed her eyes her brow furrowed. She sat still, with her legs folded under her.

The rain only got heavier for the next two days, and Hibiki had not moved. Suigetsu laid on his back and watched the shadows dance on the cave walls, Boredom set in. By noon the rain became lighter and by that night it had stopped. Suigetsu went out to stretch his legs and when he returned, Sasuke, Karin, and Juugo were all standing.

"Stay with Hibiki, we are going to do scouting for the area." Sasuke ordered as the three quickly vanished. He yelled after them in frustration but took a seat in front of Hibiki. She was not moving even a little. Her breath shallow and eased. Hibiki's nose was almost back to normal. That was good.

It has been around 21 days since they met again.

Has it only been that long? Suigetsu thought. It felt like much longer. On that note she had been traveling with Sasuke for about 26 days. Suigetsu leaned forward, He brushed her hair up, to clearly see her. Her eyes had purple bags; she hasn't been sleeping well since the night at the inn.

Suigetsu studied her face a little longer before an odd thought came to him. Slowly he leaned closer and let their foreheads touch ever so slightly. Their faces were so close, Suigetsu frowned, silently wishing Hibiki would open her eyes and see him.

 _What would it be like to have Hibiki look at you?_ He wondered.

He fell back and was laying next to her. If Suigetsu wasn't careful Karin might get the wrong impression again. He closed his eyes for a nap.

…

A tentative poke had him sitting up and awake. Next to him Hibiki smiled.

"Did you just poke me?" he asked.

"You poke me, so it's an even trade." she teased, Hibiki stood and stretched, wasting no time, she started eating the food Karin had left for her. Two days was a long time to go without food.

Not long after that the three others returned. Karin, seeing Hibiki was awake, hugged her and sat next to her. Sasuke sat directly across from Hibiki, the fire between them. Sensing Sasuke's intense stare, Hibiki took a breath and sat up straight. Sasuke was in no mood to beat around the bush.

"Alright Sasuke, here's the breakdown. I've told you about blind spots, right? Well, it has been hard to work because a blind spot keeps moving. He has been giving me headaches. His name is Naruto? You know this kid right?"

"Yes I did, what's the problem?"

"Well, he's looking for Itachi too. Him and some ninja from the leaf. If he would be still I'd be able to give you Itachi's location. But Itachi's moving because Naruto is. And I can't see how Itachi reacts because he reacts to Naruto." Hibiki groaned.

Sasuke looked pissed, he closed his eyes and considered his options.

"But I did get you a lead." Hibiki smiled, Sasuke looked at her. "It's the best choice you have for info on Itachi right now. It's this big red castle, sticks out really bad. Some Gang, bossman owns it. It crawling with just the worst type of people, the boss's room is on the 16th floor back right." Hibiki paused, she held her head high and spoke clearly and as seriously as she could.

"Sasuke this is serious, those men won't hesitate to kill you by any means necessary, as well as I can see it should be an in and out job. Get to the boss, get info and leave. Naruto is in our area Sasuke, and the situation can change instantly."

Sasuke nodded and stood up.

"Tomorrow night I'll get the information. Until then I'm going to sleep. Hibiki can you give me blueprints or a guard layout?"

"A sketchy one yes, it won't be my best," she warned him. He nodded and went to the far side of the cave, where he laid and slept. With Karins help, Hibiki described the basic layout of guard roots and a very simple blueprint of the castle top few floors.

After this Karin went to rest as well, and left around the fire was Hibiki, Juugo and Suigetsu. It was silent for a while before Juugo called Hibiki's attention.

"Hibiki, how accurate is your vision?" Juugo asks. Hibiki pulled her knees to her chest.

"It's hard to describe in detail, but I guess you can say there are events most likely and, least likely to happen. All choices for a situation are possible, but people are predictable, and more often than not, they choose a predictable path. Sometimes people make a choice that is not a predictable path, and depending on the event, can change the course of reality. One choice has the ability to drastically alter the course of the future. I only focus on the most likely paths, but sometimes unlikely events happen, and it throws me off completely. It's hard to know one future, then suddenly have everything changed. It doesn't happen often but when it does, it's uncomfortable. I have to spend time familiarizing myself with the new reality, and that's always a pain in the ass."

Juugo nodded in understanding. The air felt thick and it made Suigetsu uncomfortable.

"This Naruto kid must be really annoying then, changing everything all the time." Suigetsu teased. Hibiki forced a smile then excused herself, she went and slept near Karin.

...

In the morning Karin, Juugo and Sasuke left, leaving Suigetsu babysitting again. It's been his job for a while, and Suigetsu wanted to leave and get his hands dirty. He wanted to interrogate people too. As he pouted Hibiki found her way to him and tapped his shoulder. He turned to look at her, she seemed a little uncomfortable.

"Suigetsu I know this may be a lot to ask, and I know you hate being stuck with me all the time, But could you do me a favor?" she shyly asked.

Hibiki being shy was a little weird for Suigetsu.

"What?" He asked.

"Could you bring me to a river, I'm sure there is one nearby, but I might get lost on the way back." Somehow Suigetsu ended up agreeing, she held his arm as he brought her to the closest river. It was a small waterfall. Suigetsu brought her to the water, and then left to hide behind a tree.

Hibiki felt gross, sweaty, and grimy. She really needed to rinse off at least. She was grateful that Suigetsu agreed to bring her here. The waterfall was loud and the river was ice cold. Hibiki stripped to her underwear and slid into the river. She was waist deep, and she felt so much better already.

Suigetsu stood stiffly behind a nearby tree. His face burned and his heart raced a little.

 _You've seen her naked before, what the hell is the problem?_

 _That was different, she needed help and I helped her._

 _How is this different?_

 _She wasn't herself then… this situation feels different._

 _Ya, it is different, and you'd better calm down before shit gets real._

 _Fuck._

Suigetsu's internal battle with himself at least kept him distracted enough to not focus on what was just behind him.

Hibiki got out of the river and used her sweatshirt as a makeshift towel. She put her pants and t-shirt back on. Carrying her sweatshirt she listened for Suigetsu, He was mumbling to himself. Hibiki followed the noise and gently touched his shoulder.

"Fuck!" He yelled turning to see Hibiki was done.

"Did I scare you?" Hibiki giggled.

"Yeah you did, you could have said something instead of just grabbing my shoulder!" Suigetsu complained. Hibiki's giggles turned into laughter. SHE had scared Suigetsu. With his other thoughts shaken from his head, he led Hibiki back to the cave.

Inside Suigetsu noticed Hibiki's hair was tied into a bun, exposing her neck and collarbone. Suigetsu turned his head and looked away before he could think about anything. After a quiet meal of leftovers, Suigetsu felt worse. His thoughts traveled from Hibiki's body, to the other night with her and Juugo. He felt angrier, and irritated than he had before. His two thoughts battled but what happened with Juugo won. She never tells him anything, He deserved at least a little trust by, now right? Did she trust Juugo, Or Sasuke more? Then he snapped.

"Hibiki, I saw you and Juugo the other night." he said as calmly as possible. Hibiki was startled by the sudden change in atmosphere, she could feel anger rolling off of Suigetsu.

"What were you guys doing?" He demanded.

"That's none of your business," Hibiki said plainly, growing angry too.

He clenched his fists and could feel emotions that had been building over the last few days, (or was it years?). Hibiki could feel his anger, frustration, irritation, loneliness?

"Don't pout," she said. Trying to move away from the situation.

"What the hell Hibiki? I saw you holding Juugo's hand and your faces got really close," he reached and grabbed Hibiki's arm. Keeping her from moving away from him.

"Your hiding a shit ton of stuff and I'm sick of it. You won't tell me about the inn, you won't tell me about your weird behavior with Juugo, and you and Sasuke always seem to have an oddly close relationship. Did you tell Him about the inn, did you tell Karin? Am I the only one who doesn't get to know? I helped you and you tell everyone but me? What the fuck Hibiki!" he yelled.

Suigetsu watched Hibiki's face, her always even, controlled face. Her often fake smile fell and her cheeks slowly pinkened then turned red. As pissed as he was, Suigetsu couldn't help but adore the unfamiliar look of real, embarrassment on Hibiki's face, the discomposure. He let go of her arm, after a moment Hibiki covered her face with her hands and sat for a few moments. When she looked at Suigetsu again, she was composed again. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. She reached forward and tugged Suigetsu closer, together they sat their knees touching.

"I can't tell you about Juugo, it was a personal matter between us. We shared a friend and we just spoke of him together. I showed him something, and that's it,"

"You showed him?" Suigetsu said, confused.

Hibiki found his face with her hands, holding it. Hibiki leans forward and brings Suigetsu closer. She closed her eyes and gently connected their foreheads.

(Suigetsu is suddenly in a room, on the wall the seven swords of the mist were displayed. The room was big and had tools for caring for the swords. He feels prideful of his collection.)

Hibiki disconnected their foreheads. Suigetsu felt a little dizzy from the transition from the room back inside the cave.

"I can share images of the future with others, but only events that involve them. I showed you a possible future," she explained. Hibiki's face was solemn and empty looking. Suigetsu looked into her eyes and was surprised to see her staring unknowingly back. His anger subsided, and a new feeling rose from within. It felt weird.

Suigetsu heard Karin at the entrance of the cave, for once grateful for her loud annoying voice. Suigetsu pulled away fast, he gave them some distance and landed on his back in a nonchalant way. Hibiki turned to the fire, her thoughts wild. The afternoon was slow, Suigetsu polished his blade, Karin watched Sasuke, Juugo was outside with the birds, and Sasuke looked over the plans Hibiki had given him. Hibiki was searching the future again, to ensure everything was in its place. As the sun set, Sasuke stood and left quietly. Juugo came inside and helped Karin with dinner. The four ate quietly, then Karin took a walk while Juugo cleaned the cookware. By night Karin and Juugo were asleep.

Suigetsu sat against a smoother wall of the cave and rested. He wasn't all that tired but he was bored as fuck.

Hibiki took a deep breath, "Suigetsu?" she called in a hushed voice. Suigetsu opened his eyes and saw Hibiki over by the fire. The fire burned low, the shadows overtook the light, and people became barely visible.

"Yeah?" he called back. Hibiki heard him and crawled over to the sound. Once she found him she sat next to him.

"Remember when we first met? You were in a tank and I was finding my way through the hideout." Hibiki quietly asked.

"Yeah, I remember," Suigetsu said.

"We spent what? Three months together?" Hibiki guessed.

"I have no idea, I had no real concept of time then," he said.

"I asked you a lot of questions," Hibiki said.

"Yeah you did, I felt like I was being profiled or something." he chuckled.

"I remember what you told me. I know your birthday is February 18th. You hate cuttlefish. Your brother, Mangetsu, you looked up to him when you were a kid, and when he died you were sad."

"I never said that!"

"I know but, you were."

"Whatever."

"Like a cat, you can be indifferent, mean, hostile, and you love the hunt. You act like you don't care, but I know that you do. You're not good at saying how you feel. You push emotions away until they are too much. You were taught this to survive, to live in the shinobi world were caring, trusting can be deadly. You like animals because they are simple, and never have ulterior motives like humans." Hibiki said.

"Where the hell are you getting this from?" Suigetsu asked surprised by her accuracy.

Hibiki Laughs softly.

"Suigetsu I'm blind, I have to use my other senses to live. You didn't have to say anything, I figured it out by your voice, and the words you chose."

"Yeah alright, what's your point?" he asked.

Slowly Hibiki leans over and rests her head on his shoulder. Sitting close enough that she could whisper and still be heard clearly.

"I know a lot about you, but you know little about me. That's one of the reasons you were angry right."

"No…." Suigetsu blushed.

Hibiki became silent, she breathed slowly and clearly, Suigetsu thought she had fallen asleep when she spoke again, in a soft hushed voice, like she was sharing a secret.

"After my mother died, I was scared. I rarely traveled outside our fenced yard, and when I did, I was always with my mother and it was to a small village a few miles away. That day, I fumbled my way through the forest. I did my best to follow a worn path my mother used. It took so long…."

"When I got to the village, I smelt smoke and burned flesh. I called for help, but no one answered. I tripped and I found a body. It was bloody and hard, and there were bugs all over it. The village had been destroyed and ransacked. My world was so small, I never thought about what was outside it. I never needed to. I was happy in my little world, but that world was shattered. I hadn't learned how to use my vision properly yet. I had prolific dreams, but they were bright and hard to understand. I stayed in the burnt village for a few days. The smell of rotting burnt corpses still haunts me sometimes."

"I spent these days, doing my best to look, to see where I could go, if I could live. I had to leave, I was hungry and tired. I followed a road; I could feel the difference between the grass and the road with my feet. I used this to keep me on it. The road had to lead somewhere. It rained and I drank rainwater, and over the next few days, I drank from the puddles on the road. I had been alone for a week on that road. And I was exhausted, hungry, lonely, scared… I had my first real vision then. It was bright but I could see a snake-like man, they called him Orochimaru, I saw him in disguise on the road, when I was back in the real world, I felt a direction. I felt a pull forward. I followed it. I came to a road junction and ran left, and soon I had fallen over from an impact. It was Orochimaru."

"I was brought back to a hideout. He poked and prodded at me with needles, he did test after test. I heard he was going to cut me open…. Before he could I screamed my surname. My mother had always told me to never reveal my family. But she was dead, and I was alone. Orochimaru recognized it and set me up. I told him I was from that clan and I could see the future. He demanded that I prove it. I told him I needed rest and food first."

"He fed me, and I was given a bed to sleep in. It was hard to fall asleep; I could hear people screaming all night. In the morning he sat me in a chair in a room, he wanted me to prove my heritage. I closed my eyes and focused. Before I would get sick from trying to use my abilities, Mother told me that I didn't need my powers. She was wrong."

"I pushed past a splitting headache, the throbbing in my ears, the blood that poured from my nose. And I broke through. For the first time, I could see everything. It was overwhelming. I was in there for what had to be weeks, months, I had followed people's lives, seeing the way others do. I would stay in there forever, but they didn't see me. I was a ghost. And the gripping solitude is what motivated me to come back. I found what I needed for Orochimaru and opened my eyes."

"It was devastating to be blind again, I had forgotten the darkness. It was like I hadn't been blind my whole life. I forgot how to move, how to do anything. What I swear was months turned out to be a minute maybe? In the real world. I gave Orochimaru what he wanted, and after a day or so later, he came back, very happy."

"My prison clothes were replaced with a dress, I was given a room for myself, I had a bathroom to myself. I could bathe again. I don't know how long I was a test subject, so I couldn't tell you how long ago my mother died. I couldn't remember her face well."

"The more Orochimaru used me the better I became. I stopped getting nose bleeds and the ringing left my ears. I found a method to use my vision more efficiently. But every time I returned to the real world; I was shocked by my blindness. I forget how to exist. I can see, then, its ripped from me. I found a way to see in front of me with my vision, but it made me so sick. Waking up to the real world after seeing the world of color and light, to nothing but sounds and smells."

"It's better now. I don't come back surprised as often. I come back knowing my blindness, but it still is hard to live with. But still sometimes I come back to the real world, and I have to relive the devastation." Hibiki then closed her eyes, her head on Suigetsu's shoulder, and she fell asleep. During her story, she had come closer and now she was wrapped in Suigetsu's arms. He felt like Hibiki had become a different person. She wasn't just the blind girl; she was a girl who found herself blind. No wonder she is so dependent on others, why she obeyed Orochimaru, why she clings to Sasuke. Suigetsu looked at Hibiki as she slept.

 _I don't know her birthday or her least favorite food. I knew little about her mother, or about her time before Orochimaru._

 _I do know Hibiki is strong. Far stronger than me or Sasuke or Karin. She never allows her real emotions to show, but when she does its sobs from deep in her being. Hibiki was distant and hesitant. She approached others with great caution, and she never let her guard down._

Even now she was still tense, she slept, but she kept herself braced for anything. Suigetsu rested his head on the cave wall. And he closed his eyes and fell asleep. His arms bring Hibiki a little closer, a little more defended.

 _She's just like a cat_.


	14. Chapter 14: Fire

**Chapter 14: Fire**

Something had woken Suigetsu up. He wasn't sure when he fell asleep or how long it has been, but Hibiki wasn't in his arms anymore. He looked up to see Hibiki standing near the cave's tunnel.

"Hibiki?" he called

"Suigetsu get up now! Get Karin and Juugo up NOW!"

Surprised by her intense demands he kicked Karin and jostled Juugo. The two sluggishly stood and looked at Hibiki.

"The future has changed. We need to go."

The forest was dark, until they reached a lit road. Karin had Hibiki on her back as they ran. They arrived at the castle and hid in the nearby area. Hibiki was placed on her feet. She tied her hair up in a ponytail, tightened the wrappings on her feet. She asked Karin for a pin, and she pinned her bangs out of her face.

"What the hell is go…" Suigetsu started to ask, as an explosion came from the castle. Men fled from the flame not paying attention to the four who were now standing in the road. The castle catches fire and is soon nearly engulfed in flames.

Hibiki turned to the other three. "Stay here!" she demanded.

"No way am I letting go in there! What the hell can you do?" Suigetsu panicked.

"Suigetsu if you go in you will die and I will not let that happen! Not here! Stay here do not under any circumstance come after me. Stay away from the building!" she demanded. She shook lightly.

Juugo nodded, and Karin did too.

The three watched Hibiki as she closed her eyes, she furrowed her brow, and her nose started to bleed. Just as Suigetsu reached for her, she grabbed his arm in a sudden movement.

She opened her left eye.

For the first time in his life, Suigetsu looked at Hibiki, and Hibiki looked back.

Her Eyes grew Darker and focused, the iris a deep solid brown. She looked ready. Ready to kill, to murder, to die. She held no fear.

Suigetsu stumbled back,

Loose Stray hairs danced from the wind, behind her was an inferno of fire, Suigetsu had seen this before?

The two locked eyes for half a second, before she turned and bolted into the burning building.

...

Everything burned. Floors, pillars, furniture, people.

Some men ran past me, others were abandoned, trapped under fallen support beams and burning objects. They screamed until the flames engulfed them. The smell... I know this smell. I have lived this smell. The smell of a man facing his impending death. I knew this smell from my time with Orochimaru. It mixed with the smoke and ash.

My left ear rang so loud it was no longer usable.

The smell of burning flesh stunned me, but I pushed those memories, those feelings down, as deep as I could. This was no time for feelings. I plunged myself into living hell.

My goal was simple, get to Sasuke on the 16th floor. He must be there. Climbing on anything to let me ascend to the next level, some staircases where intact, some were blocked, and some were engulfed in flame, too thick for me to pass through.

As I moved my feet touched fire, I could feel the blisters forming and popping from the heat. I went on.

I came to the 10th staircase. It was blocked by a door used to cut off accessibility. Sasuke had not been careful. I clenched my mouth shut; I ignored the pain.

I ran around like a mad woman before I found a loose board in the ceiling. I used burning furniture to boost me up and a short beam that had fallen to pound my way through. It took three strikes to topple burning wood onto me. I climbed up and moved on.

Finally, on the fifteenth level. The stairs were destroyed. I had no time to hunt for another way up. I went back as far as the room let me and ran. I flung myself over the gap of fiery death and clung onto whatever I could. I clawed my way up, digging my nails into the wood, as I got myself on my feet, I noticed blood dripped from my hands.

I ran on, and in a back room, I saw Sasuke, through an opening too small for me to squeeze through.

I hunted for a way in, I searched all options I could think of, but there was only one way for me to get in. I would have to pull myself through a gap near the ceiling.

A glowing red pipe of some kind hung in the way, and I would have to use the pipe to pull through, everything that touched the metal will probably never recover. I wanted to know what would happen, what the consequences would be, but if I looked now, I would lose my hold on my sight in my eye.

My hands may never recover, I might have to live without the feeling in my hands and the sight in my eyes.

I wouldn't be able to cook, not able to feel my way through. I would never feel the soft silky fur of a cat, I would lose so much if my hands are destroyed.

I may never touch Suigetsu again, His water cool skin that I've come to know. He may be disgusted by the burns. He may refuse to come near me.

 _I could never hold his hand._

But these are sentiments, pointless to worry over. These thoughts made me weak, they made me hesitant. I am risking Sasuke's and my lives by having thoughts about the repercussions of my actions. I am in the ninja world now, I cannot have feelings of love, of want, of need.

 _I am going to save Sasuke._

My momentary lapse was pushed from my thoughts. I clenched my hands and began to slide into the gap. I did my best not to use the bar as long as I could. But halfway into the gap, I had to use it.

I took a deep breath,

As I released it through my nose, My hands gripped the bright red metal, fire that burned like ice. It hurt so much I couldn't feel it. I clung to it as I pulled my body into the room, the bar running a line down my side and onto my leg. My clothes did nothing to buffer it. I dropped into the room and I shook.

This pain was too much, my sight was slipping. Darkness filled the rim of my vision. I concentrated harder, blood dripping from my nose. When I felt like I had a hold on myself I turned to find Sasuke unconscious and trapped under a fallen beam, next to him was the blonde boy. Naruto.

No wonder I didn't see this, why I couldn't prevent it. Naruto shifted the future so suddenly, and in such a drastic way. He wasn't even near this place when I looked earlier. I need to be more cautious with him.

The two must have been gassed when they were not paying attention and are now poisoned. Unable to move and now unconscious.

Another person pulled themselves into the room, her gloves thick enough to help some, but her hands burned too. The pink girl dropped into the room and was surprised to see me. Then she saw the two pinned.

"Naruto! Sasuke!" she yelled as she rushed to them. She was hesitant to move the beam trapping them.

I grabbed it and pushed it, I wasn't strong enough to move it off, so much energy was being put into staying awake, staying in this state of sight.

"Wait it's too dangerous to move! The building will collapse!" She grabbed my arm. I shook her off.

"Its dropping anyway bitch, we either leave them to die or we move the damn beam!"

Emotions glossed over her eyes. Then she finished pushing the beam off. The building shook and floors began to drop into a fiery hell at the base. With some help I got Sasuke on my back. The pink girl had Naruto.

"What now?" she asked, her eyes panicking.

"Bust through that wall and run!" I yelled over the intensifying roar of the flames.

She had a moment of hesitation before determination and trust solidified in her eyes. She punched through the wall. We went about descending, jumping from the sixteenth floor could be fatal. We rushed, finding any hole big enough to let us get through. Twice the holes were too small, we had to stop, lower down one of us down and drop one at a time.

A snap made the girl and I stop and look at each other.

"What floor?" I asked.

"Third." She confirmed. I ran to a far wall,

"Breakthrough we need to jump," I told her.

The girl braced and destroyed the wall, we didn't hesitate to practically jump through the hole before it was made. Her fist struck the wall and we fell,

The flashover just missing us but propelled us forward.

I fell and landed on my feet but fell over. The burns throbbed, sensitive to the cold night air. My vision blurred. I stood and carried Sasuke away from the collapsing building.

Just out of reach, to the closest safe distance. I let Sasuke roll off my back and onto the ground. I panted, and the fresh air made me cough. The pink girl did the same. I looked at her, she was rough, but she must know medical ninjutsu, she was healing herself faster.

She did a quick check on the boys, "Minor injuries, nothing permanent." she told me as she sighed in relief.

Then she grabbed my hands, "fuck!" I yelled, the contact causing me to shake.

"I'm sorry I know it hurts. But that's a good thing, let me help." she insisted. Chakra glowed around my hands, I winced. Everything hurt.

"You held that bar for so long to get inside. I had gloves, you were barehanded, but held the bar. That was so stupid." she teared up.

I only half listened. Focusing more on keeping consciousness.

"I'm Sakura." she softly smiled.

"Hibiki," I mumbled.

"Are you friends with Sasuke?" she nervously asked.

"We've known each other a while."

Sakura looked longingly at Sasuke. I pulled my hands back and used a lot of strength to stand. Sakura reached for my hands again, "They still need a lot of work! If you come with me, we can get them healed."

"Sakura, Thanks for the help, I don't want to be mean but take Naruto and leave. No One can know Sasuke or I were here."

"But why? Sasuke needs to come home, this may be the only..."

"No, not now. Sakura, you need to let this go. He is not coming back now." My voice strained, the smoke in my lungs made talking harder.

Sakura thought for a long moment and looked at my hands for a long moment.

"Ok." she agreed.

Sakura helped get Sasuke on my back again, she put some medicine on my hands. She gave me a sad look, then She picked up Naruto and left.

I was fading out, my vision blurred, and my eyes felt heavy. I forced myself forward and followed the side of the building, moving to the front. I moved as fast as I could, my muscles screaming in protest, yet I ignored them. Darkness filled my world, but I pushed back, my nose resumed dripping, my ears ringing, my head throbbing.

Just a little longer. I assured myself.

I caught my foot on something and fell, Sasuke and I tumbled out of the forest.

Then I was no longer alone. Voices filled the air, who were they? what were they saying?

I had made it. My job was over. I got Sasuke out of the fire.

As my eyes fell shut, water cold hands touched my face, my arms.

...

Karin had just lost her grip on Suigetsu. She and Juugo had been keeping him from going after Hibiki. As he was going to run to the building, with a loud explosion It crumbled

She watched as Suigetsu clenched his fist and watched the fire.

Suigetsu bit down hard on his lip drawing blood.

 _She made it out, she's coming_

 _No, she's ash now_

 _You should have helped her_

 _You should have gotten in_

 _She's coming_

 _Of course, she wouldn't let Sasuke die,_

 _But that doesn't mean she lived._

 _She is alive, she must be, if I know Hibiki at all, I know she is a stubborn bitch who wouldn't go out without a hell of a fight._

 _Hibiki is strong, she made it._

 _But is she ok?_

 _Her nose was bleeding again, how hurt is she? Can she move?_

Suigetsu turned to the other two, "We should search the surrounding area." Suigetsu told them. They agreed. As they got closer to the building a bush moved nearby, then Hibiki fell out, Sasuke rolled off her, unconscious. The trio wasted no time, Suigetsu got to Hibiki first. She looked like cooked meat, her hands, he couldn't look at them. A soft smile touched her lips before she fell unconscious. The smell from per past, a smell that haunted Hibiki sometimes, was this.

Juugo picked up Sasuke and was off, back to the cave. Turning to find Hibiki, Karin was shocked at the way Suigetsu held Hibiki in his arms, his usual dumbass face was strained with worry. He in the gentlest tenderly way Karin has ever seen Suigetsu move, lifted her and held her close, before running to the cave. Karin has suspicions before, but when Hibiki ran into the fire, Suigetsu turned into a different person than she knew. This finalized it. If Sasuke and Hibiki weren't injured right now, Suigetsu would be dead.

…

Juugo and Suigetsu placed the two on the floor of the cave.

"She needs a hospital." Suigetsu growled.

"No! We can't, hospitals register people and Hibiki must not have any trail. She told me to make sure she was never admitted." Karin shook.

"What the hell do we do then?" Suigetsu yelled. "there's no way in hell we can handle this on our own, you're not that good Karin." He turned to Juugo in a panic but then smiled, a conniving smile Karin was more comfortable with Suigetsu having. Then Juugo and Suigetsu stood, Suigetsu got his sword and without a word, the two vanished,

"What the Fuck!" Karin screamed after them, she then looked to Sasuke, then Hibiki, then Sasuke. Who should she start with, Hibiki needed so much attention, but Sasuke was turning an odd color, he must have been poisoned? Hibiki will die without help and so will Sasuke. Karins worst nightmare laid out before her.

How the hell does she make this kind of choice!?

Not long (Karin later concluded about 30 minutes had passed) Juugo was in the cave again. He rolled out two futons, each on a side of the small cave. Juugo moved Sasuke and Karin caught on and moved Hibiki. This was better than the cave floor.

Then Suigetsu arrives with a murderous smile, a man in his hand. He dropped the man, causing him to fall on his knees, and pointed to the two.

"Here are your patients doc." his voice ice.

…

Dr. Arai was in shock. A moment ago, he was asleep, with his wife next to him. Then he woke up to this shark toothed kid holding a very sharp sword to his throat, ready to cut off his and his wives heads.

"Don't talk, get your shit," he ordered. The blade moved away just far enough to let him wiggle out and he fetched his bag. The boy then picked him up and brought him here. A cave with a fire, and a futon on either side. A boy on one and a girl on the other. He saw a red hair girl looking at the two conflicted. He called out to her.

"You, do you have any medical experience?" he asked, his voice shaky. The redhead looked at the doctor, relief ran over her face as she nodded. "Tend to the boy then, tell me what's going on, I'll instruct you through it."

The doctor then sat a side of the futon with him facing the red girl and the boy. He felt his heart stop when he saw the girl.

He was an old small-town doctor. The worst he's seen was an infected scratch. This was beyond what he has ever done. While some of her skin was untouched, Most of her body was pink from first degree burns. Her feet, shoulders, Knees, and elbows were burned to the second degree. He looked at her hands, and he tensed up. Plump from swelling, Her skin had been burned off, peeled off her body by the heat. The skins edge black and dead. On Her palm, her skin was gone, only showing the gooey bloody flesh underneath. She had half-formed blisters on her fingers.

What had she done?

Taking a breath, he steadied himself.

"She needs a hospital." Dr. Arai glared.

"We can't go to one, just help her." Shark boy demanded, getting pissed on how long it was taking.

"I don't have the supplies for this," Dr. Arai retorted.

"Tells us what they are, and we will get them." A very large boy calmly said.

Seeing the two would not budge on this matter, Dr. Arai ran off a list of as many supplies he could think of. The two left.

"How is he?" Dr. Arai called to the red-haired girl.

"Poisoned, broken bones, dislocated shoulder. Some burns," Karin reported,

"Can you handle it?" He asked. She nodded already at work snapping his shoulder back into its socket with a loud snap. Dr. Arai looked at the girl, he needed help. So much needed to be done.

"When you finish join me please," he asked, the girl nodded, working as fast as she could. He rummaged through his bag and found some painkillers and antibiotics. As well as disinfectant. He worked on disinfecting the worst part first. Using a cloth to apply the liquid.

When the boys returned, Dr. Arai asked for water, lots of water. The shark-toothed kid nodded and left.

"How may I help?" the big one asked.

"Take the girls place, then rejoin us," he ordered. The big one did as he was told and the girl rushed over, he told her his plan of action, and she agreed, she knew what to do. The shark boy returned with a large (stolen) bucket, full of water. They started by cutting the remaining strands of her clothing off. The doctor flinched as he saw the long burn mark running from her mid stomach to her upper thigh.

The redhead ordered the shark kid away from them.

 _Must be her boyfriend or something…_ Dr. Arai thought absently.

They began to clean the skin, removing dead tissues. Not long after they started did the big one return. He helped by handing them items and taking them away. Making it a much quicker process. The shark boy fumed in the corner. Dr. Arai used his sleeve to wipe his sweat from his forehead. Her body had been cleared, now the hands….

The girl Stirred. The red head was surprised at this. Dr. Arai reached for the needle to give her pain medication. The girl began to scream, in what sounded like fear rather than pain. The three tried to steady her, Dr. Arai needed her still to give her painkillers, but she was having a fit…

 _I would too._ Dr. Arai thought, _not a pleasant thing to wake up too_.

The red-haired girl tried to speak to the girl, doing her best to get her attention. But the girl was panicking. Then the Shark boy joined them. He gently made her look at him, hands on either side of her face.

"Hibiki, you're okay. You're in a cave, Remember, Orochimaru isn't here. You're not with him." He assured her. She stopped panicking but still squirmed, pulling away from Dr. Arai and the redhead.

"Good girl, Hibiki? Can you hear me? Its ok, I know it's dark but you're ok." the shark boy soothed the girl,

"Please honey, you have to be still." he begged. The girl after a moment settled enough for Dr. Arai to inject the medication.

"The medication will make her tired." Dr. Arai told the boy. The girl after a few minutes of feeling them poke at her hands, closed her eyes and slept.

After what felt like weeks, the girl was finished. She was cleaned, sanitized (as best they could) and bandaged. She had a break in her left ankle, easily set. The Big one, the red head, and him, cleaned the mess. The blood-stained futon was flipped and dusted off. The shark boy rested the girl on the clean side.

Dr. Arai stood to leave, "She has a fever, give her the medication I wrote down for you, and watch her close. I'm also leaving antibiotics for her," he said. Exhausted. The blood-stained man left the cave and entered the early morning, the sun rising in the distance. He walked home changed by his experience.

…

Karin covered Hibiki with a blanket and changed the cold rag on her head. Suigetsu fell asleep leaning against the cave wall, staying close to Hibiki. The next week or so was going to be hard. Both Sasuke and her need to be healed by Karin. This will help speed recovery.

The next day Suigetsu felt Hibiki's head, it was hot but not as bad as before. She was getting better.

"Suigetsu," Karin called, death in her eyes. He reluctantly left Hibiki and followed Karin out of the cave.

"What the hell has been going on?" Karin demanded.

"What do you mean?" Suigetsu yawned.

"You Know exactly what I mean. You love Hibiki, or at the very least Like her. The way you act with her, To be honest is gross." Karin accused.

Suigetsu blushed and got defensive, "Fuck off Karin,"

"Suigetsu, I want to know what your planning." she sneered.

"What I'm planning? What the hell are you planning?" He sneered back

"Th-this is about Hibiki," Karin stuttered.

"Whatever." Suigetsu rolled his eyes and went back inside the cave.

 ***Just in case: Sakura's early treatment on Hibiki's hands prevented nerve damage, the long burn on her stomach and upper thigh however was not as lucky.**


	15. Chapter 15: An Offer

**Chapter 15: An offer**

After a week of recovery, Sasuke and Hibiki were able to move again. Hibiki healed faster after her fever broke. She was still weak, and had some pain, but was well enough. Due to Karin's chakra, her scarring was minimal. Only the worst areas received burn marks. One sad loss was her hair, it was scorched a bit, and Karin had to cut it. Now it was chin length and refused to settle down. She would have to wear shoes for now on, the road would be too coarse for her sensitive feet. She had shinobi sandals on that covered her ankles. One of them was bandaged and she walked with a slight limp as it was still healing from her fall. Hibiki's stomach and upper thigh were by far the worst. Her flesh took a darker color, and the skin pinched up. A long horrid reminder of that night.

Her new clothing was acquired by Karin as her old clothes where scorched and cut off. She now had loose fit knee-length shorts a shirt and a sleeveless zip-up sweatshirt. Her body healed well, and she felt normal, except her hands. While she still had feeling in her palms, thanks to Sakura's early treatment, but they did not look good or feel good. Hibiki felt sad at the odd texture of her palms. Embarrassment set in and she pulled fingerless gloves on to hide them.

With both her and Sasuke healed they left the cave for the last time. Outside was warm, and the sun tickled her skin. She stood in a shadow.

"Split up, find Itachi," Sasuke ordered.

Sasuke knew that Hibiki's vision still needs a few days to recover. For now, they would find Itachi the harder way.

Karin, Sasuke, and Juugo all scattered. Leaving Hibiki to Suigetsu, who didn't complain about babysitting this time. As Karin left, she glared at Suigetsu meaningfully. And he glared back.

"Ready?" He asked Hibiki. She nodded.

Suigetsu had his sword on his back, so Hibiki was scooped into his arms. Like always she helped distribute her weight by wrapping her arms around his neck. Suigetsu then turned and left in his designated direction.

"Where are we going?" Hibiki asked, feeling weird by not knowing.

"We're going to a town where a bookkeeper for an Akatsuki member is."

"Are you interrogating people today." Hibiki jokes.

"Fuck yea." He beamed. Finally, some action.

They stopped outside of town and Hibiki was set on her feet. She looped her arm through Suigetsu's, the town was packed with people, Hibiki needed to stay closer, so she doesn't get separated. Hibiki walked as normally as she could, but her ankle still hurt. She pushed on not wanting to slow Suigetsu down. She was enough of a burden already.

They arrived at a small alley, and Suigetsu guided her down some steps, when a guard called out, Suigetsu left Hibiki and Made quick work of him.

"Sasuke will forgive me." He smirked.

With Hibiki standing out of the way so the blood didn't get on her. Suigetsu took her to the door.

"Wait here," he told Hibiki.

He burst through the door, Hibiki could hear a ruckus inside, she popped her head in just enough to hear the conversation.

"You're that Akatsuki, What's his name? Kaku Kakuta Kakusa Kakushi," Suigetsu tried to remember.

"His name was Kakuzu," Hibiki called to him. He snapped his fingers at Hibiki

"Yes, that's the one." he smiled. "You're that Kakuzu's henchman- his bookkeeper, right?"

"I'll tell you anything you want to know." the man quivered in terror "J-Just please don't kill me."

"That's the way, keep talking." Suigetsu urged him. The man spoke quickly and in little detail unless threatened by Suigetsu. Hibiki leaned in the door frame waiting. Not having her vision was annoying.

When the man finished speaking, Suigetsu released the two men and replaced his sword on his back. He took Hibiki's arm and guided her out, and back onto the street.

"Well did you have fun?" Hibiki giggled, as they walked, arms locked

"Yeah but it could have been better." he pouted.

"Well, I'm sure you'll go on a murderous rampage soon." Hibiki teased. Suigetsu flicked her forehead. The two walked through the village and into the opposite side, Entering the forest.

"I wonder how everyone else is doing?" Hibiki asked as She and Suigetsu sat in the grass.

"Probably the same as us. Hopefully, our combined information will be useful." Suigetsu shrugged.

"Uggg I feel so useless." Hibiki moaned.

"Yeah, you kinda are…" Suigetsu began and was punched in the arm by Hibiki. He laughed a little as her face made a pouty expression.

"But you saved Sasuke's ass. You were really hurt," he hesitated, "You can be useless for a while." Suigetsu said reaching and petting her head.

"Sasuke won't be understanding for long. He will leave me if I don't produce something soon." Hibiki sadly smiled as she tilted her head down. Clenching her hands. "I need my vision to have value." she sighed.

Suigetsu cupped her face with his hand and had her look towards him. She gave him a confused expression.

"When Sasuke stops using you as a tool, I'll bring you with me," he said.

"Right the seven swords, you'll need help tracking them down," Hibiki concluded. Suigetsu frowned as he heard her say this. Gently he touched his forehead to hers.

"Nah, you said it before I like the hunt. I want to find and win them, can't do that if you give me the locations. It would be too easy." he laughed lightly.

"Then what would I be doing?" Hibiki laughed back.

"Can't carry the swords with me everywhere, I'll need a safe place to keep them, and someone to keep the swords in their best condition."

"I wouldn't be able to protect them," Hibiki argued lightly.

"I don't know, you can be pretty damn scary when you want to be. Besides, I wouldn't have a base that could be found easily. Can't have people steal what's precious to me."

Hibiki's face burned. Did he just say what I think he said?

They were sitting so close now, she could easily be pulled into his arms.

A loud explosion shook the ground, Suigetsu looked up, "Fuck."

"What was that?" Hibiki asked as he helped her stand.

"Sasuke probably, come on we need to go," he grumbled as he scooped her up and started running.

 _I am going to kill Sasuke_ ,

…

The explosion was at the rendezvous spot, Suigetsu ran to a river near the site and set Hibiki on her feet. Suigetsu checked the scroll Sasuke had given him earlier.

"The snakes gone," he said to himself. Hibiki listened as Suigetsu rummaged around,

"What are you doing?" she asked. Suigetsu pulled her closer and performed the summoning jutsu. The loud sound was followed by the smell of burnt snake. A smell Hibiki knew from spending years with Orochimaru. Hibiki reached out and felt the skin of an enormous snake.

"Manda?" Hibiki asked.

"S-So, this is Orochimaru's Summoning Jutsu Manda, Even Orochimaru had trouble controlling this guy." Suigetsu said.

"He used genjutsu, didn't he?" Hibiki guessed.

Sasuke fell out of Manda's mouth, he struggled to stand, but he approached Suigetsu and Hibiki.

"Whoa, you're a mess! Who did you fight?" Suigetsu asked.

"You had the nerve to use me? You damned brat, those eyes you controlled me with those eyes! I of all people!" Manda said. Hibiki followed his skin to his head and found his eye. She leaned her head on him.

"It's my fault, I couldn't use my vision, I'm sorry Manda," Hibiki said as the snake exhaled his last breath

"Oh-ohh, he's dead." Suigetsu noticed. "Wasn't Manda Orochimaru's favorite pet? You ought to treat animals better and the whole manipulation with the genjutsu." Suigetsu frowned.

"There wasn't time to think. I had no choice." Sasuke said. Hibiki found Suigetsu again and stood near him.

"Found you! I figured you'd be here! Your chakra suddenly disappeared, so I wondered what had happened" Karin exclaimed as she ran to the group. "Did you transport yourself?!"

"You hid inside Manda, then used the Transportation Technique to escape into another dimension." Suigetsu guessed.

"So why are you in such bad shape?" Karin asked.

"Just before escaping, we both got hit by the blast wave. My opponent was one of the Akatsuki." Sasuke panted "He was stronger than I expected."

"In any case, he needs time to rest." Suigetsu said. "Right, Karin?" he teased.

"Ahem! How pathetic! And you call yourself the man who killed Orochimaru?!" she argued.

"Orochimaru was already weakened, to begin with. That's all there is to it." Sasuke frowned.

The group made their way back into the closest town, the town Hibiki and Suigetsu had been in. Karin aided Hibiki as Suigetsu helped Sasuke. Inside, they got a room at an inn and were soon joined by Juugo. He began to help Sasuke, bandaging him again.

"Hah! You talked about killing Itachi You won't be able to move around for some time in that condition!" Suigetsu laughed.

"We've been moving nonstop lately. It's a good chance to rest up." he smiled leaning back against a wall.

"All you've done is rest, you feeble punk!" Karin yelled.

"There, finished," Juugo said.

"You didn't do a thing at the northern hideout, so don't start telling me what to do now." Suigetsu yelled back.

"What?! Wanna make something of it?! Then let's do it!" Karin charged and began to attempt to beat Suigetsu, but as usual, her hits were ineffective as he simply became water at the impacts.

"Will you two settle down," Hibiki said as she found Karin, pulling her back. Karin and Suigetsu shared an intense glare.

"Suigetsu, Karin Have you gathered data on Itachi?"

"You're in no shape to act so bossy!" Suigetsu complained. "I've picked up some tips about Akatsuki, but nothing specific about Itachi himself," he explained.

"I got zero," Karin admitted. "Seems they're targeting specific people through People with special chakra," she said.

"Special chakra?" Sasuke wondered.

"I did some talking to animals and located a number of Akatsuki hideouts. It seems they always sense a powerful, unpleasant chakra around each area. That's what the animals have told me." Juugo reports.

"Wow, even simple minded animals can sense chakra, eh? Or maybe it's because they're simple minded, Just like you Karin!" Suigetsu mocked.

"What did you say, you jerk?! Suigetsu! This time, you're not getting away with it!" she yelled attacking Suigetsu to no avail again. Hibiki tried to break the two up, but as she was grabbing Karin, Juugo got tense and trembled.

"Kill I want to kill.." he mumbled over and over.

"Shoot! Jugo's killing impulse is loose!" Karin panicked. She and Suigetsu ran and restrained Juugo as much as possible.

"Sasuke! Hurry it-!" she struggled

"Calm down, Juugo," he said with anger. Juugo was caught by Sasuke's sharingan, and slowly calmed down.

"S-Sorry, It's your fault, Karin." Suigetsu blamed. "Screaming and making such a fuss."

"What? You too! You constantly try to provoke me," she argued,

"Karin. What are you up to? I've already told you. I don't intend to leave Sasuke for my own reasons." Suigetsu smugly said.

"I-I'm not up to anything." she blushed. Hibiki had found Suigetsu and grabbed his ear. He bent over and winced.

"Don't fight, Juugo needs us to be calm," Hibiki ordered as she released him.

"You didn't have to pull so hard." Suigetsu complained.

"The only one who can replace Kimimaro is Sasuke. Sasuke said he would become my cage. Right now, only Sasuke can stop my urges, as he did earlier." Juugo said sadly. Hibiki lowered her head at Kimimaro's name.

"Still our cages are unlocked. We can escape anytime we wish." Suigetsu observed.

The room grew silent, Sasuke had fallen asleep sitting up so Juugo cared for him. Laying him back. Suigetsu found a seat and leaned into the wall again. Hibiki sat next to him, she took deep breaths as she closed her eyes and furrowed her brow. Seeing this made Suigetsu feel uneasy.

 **Just in case: yes Hibiki and Sasuke healed way faster than what is normal in real life, but my excuse is: the story needed to move on. So they are healed. Bam, magic of plot!**


	16. Chapter 15 extra: Omake

Bathhouse

Hibiki was feeling through her pack, the item in question missing. With a sigh, Hibiki stood,

"Karin are you here?" she asked. When she received no answer she frowned. Hibiki found her way to the door. Since they were at an inn everyone took advantage of the opportunity and cleaned up. A long soak in the hot water sounded nice. Karin was going to go with Hibiki, but now she is nowhere to be found. Hibiki slowly navigated the halls and went downstairs. At the foot of the steps, Hibiki stopped.

"Hello?" she called.

"Yes dear, how may I help you?" A passing maid answered.

"Oh, I need help finding the baths." Hibiki smiled.

The maid took Hibiki's hand and lead her down the hall.

"The door on the right is the women's bath dear," she said as she walked away.

"Thank you!" Hibiki called after her. Hibiki went inside, found an open

cubby and changed into a towel, wrapping it around her torso.

"Karin?" Hibiki called into the room. Still no answer. Where was she?

Hibiki then heard Karin's voice from next door, What she was saying wasn't clear enough for Hibiki to understand.

 _I thought the maid said this was the women's bath? Did I misunderstand?_

She wondered. Hibiki had lost an important Ideam only Karin could help her with.

Using the wall as a guide, Hibiki followed the sound of Karin's voice into the bath next door. Hibiki stepped through a threshold and into a steamy room.

"Aww. don't be so boring Sasuke." Karin flirted.

"Karin?" Hibiki asked as she walked forward.

"Hibiki?" Karin squeaked.

"Finally found you, Karin have you seen my ("pony") it wasn't in my bag."

..

Karin was flabbergasted, knowing Hibiki had no idea they were in the men's bath, she tried to think up a logical way to get Hibiki away from this area. Just then Suigetsu emerged from underwater,

"Now this feels like heaven…" he sighed, but quickly became dumbfounded when he saw the scene in front of him. Karin was cuddling up to Sasuke, Sasuke looked bored with Karin's obvious attempt to seduce him, and Hibiki standing near them with a very confused face.

"...Karin have you seen my ("pony") it wasn't in my bag." Hibiki finished asking.

Suigetsu's nose dripped a little blood when he saw Hibiki, then Karin yelled at him.

"What the hell are you doing here Suigetsu!" she yelled pissed at this fustercluck of a situation.

"I could ask you the same thing Karin," Suigetsu frowned, he was in the male bath….

"Suigetsu?" Hibiki asked now more confused, which bath was she in?

"Get out of here!" Karin yelled throwing and hitting Suigetsu with a small tub. Suigetsu was hit directly on the head, throwing him back. Karin grabbed Hibiki and bolted out.

After a short explanation, Karin huffed.

"That was the perfect chance.." she stopped walking "at least I have this.." She giggled.

"What did you take," Hibiki sighed.

"Sasuke's toothbrush." she continued to giggle.

"Karin I don't usually comment on your personal affairs, but this obsessive crush is getting a little weird." Hibiki frowns.

"Well, your attraction to Suigetsu is weird!" Karin argues.

"Yeah but I don't steal his personal hygiene products." Hibiki sighs.

Later Suigetsu looks through his belongings having lost his toothbrush.

 **AN: The omake Karin's obsession is what this is based on, so it turns out Karin stole Suigetsu's toothbrush not Sasuke's, (by mistake) also after some very interesting research, (no sarcasm) in the past, and still some today, women used a (pony), a reusable menstruation pad. I think the actual word used in japan is "pony". Anywho I wanted to do my own omake and added in the pony because even ninjas have menstruation.**


	17. Chapter 16: Home

**Chapter 16: Home**

Sasuke slept as the others occupied themselves. Karin…. Watched Sasuke sleep, Suigetsu was cleaning and sharpening his sword, and Hibiki was trying to re-acquaint herself with her vision. It was slowly clearing again. As a result, from straining her vision during the fire, she was getting nose bleeds again, her ears rung lightly and her head hurt. However, it wasn't so bad that she couldn't use it.

So much has shifted, she needed to learn the flow of time Again…

This Naruto kid was becoming a problem, one Hibiki could try to take care of. She could try and kill Naruto, but that too would cause major shifting in the future. If it's not one thing it's another. She tried her best to focus in on Naruto's actions, but they simply couldn't be predicted. Hibiki slowly blinked her eyes open.

She could hear Suigetsu snoring next to her, it must have been late, or early morning. How long had she been looking? Hibiki got her shoes on and walked outside. The area felt oddly familiar, a hum in her heart that ached. Hibiki walked down the road,

 _There is only one way to be sure_. She thought.

The road led her to the spot she thought it would go, she bent down and felt the thin path. Smiling to herself she followed it.

The sun was bright in Suigetsu's eyes, he stirred awake. Karin was sleeping near Sasuke, Juugo was by the window, he turned to find Hibiki not next to him. He scanned the room, where was she?

"She left, maybe an hour ago…" Sasuke sat up.

"Why didn't you stop her?" Suigetsu groaned.

"Hibiki is fine on her own. She doesn't always need people." Sasuke explained.

"Then why do I have to babysit her so much," Suigetsu asked.

"Just like when she saw the fire. She is capable by herself, but if something changes and she needs to tell us, she'll only get lost, and never warn us in time." Sasuke stretched. He turned over and fell asleep again.

 _He's no help_ Suigetsu thought. Suigetsu got his shoes on and left to find Hibiki. Outside the Hotel only a few people had come out of their homes. Suigetsu scanned the area,

 _How far did she go?_

He saw a shop keeper setting up, he jogged over.

"Hey man, have you seen a short brunette walkthrough here? Probably Haphazardly?"

"Yeah, she walked down the road and followed the old trail."

"The old trail?"

"Yea it's a path that goes up to a burned cabin, we try and keep the kids away, it doesn't look stable." the man said.

Suigetsu turned and found the path. It was narrow, steep, and surrounded by foliage. He started up the path with some difficulty, overgrown trees had branches blocking some parts. He finally reached the top, walking out into a small clearing. The grass was overgrown and knee-high, the house was across the field, the cabins back faced a cliff wall, and a ghost of a fence marked off most of the clearing. The house itself was small, black, and falling apart, the roof was mostly caved in, and it looked ready to fall over. Suigetsu walked over to the house, two steps lead to a porch, or what was a porch. A lot of it was gone.

He sees Hibiki's shoes on the second step. He sighed in slight relief, at least he knew where she was. He cautiously climbed the two stairs and went into the house. The door was missing, leaving only a door frame. Inside was a small living space, what were a kitchen and a living room. The skeletons of furniture were somewhat visible. He carefully made his way through the house to a back room. Inside was small, a dresser was against the far wall, and Hibiki stood in the center of the room, her head looking to the ceiling, that let a stream of light in. She obviously felt the warmth and decided to stand in it... She looked lonely.

Suigetsu walks up to her a reaches out to tap her shoulder, "Hibiki?" he asked. Her sudden scream startled Suigetsu. She had moved away from his touch and fallen over. She was sitting on the floor.

"It's just me?" Suigetsu said. Hibiki placed her hand on her heart, it was beating so fast from the shock.

"Fuck Suigetsu, you scared the living shit out of me!" she complained. Suigetsu sat across from her, laughing,

"You have such a dirty mouth sometimes," he said reaching forward, taking Hibiki's arm and bringing her back in the light. "You look so innocent, it's weird." he laughed and Hibiki frowned and punched his arm. Hibiki's faced moved from shock and fear to being horribly sad. They sit for a long time in silence, sitting across from each other in the small beam of light. She turned her head away from Suigetsu, her face sometimes straining before relaxing again. She looked like she needed to cry.

"It's just me, the others are back at the hotel, you don't have to be so tough," he said petting her head. "It's ok to let go a little." With her face still turned away, her buried emotions began to surface. At first, only a few tears rolled down her face, but then she closed her eyes and the tears poured. She sobbed quietly. Suigetsu sat and watched her not knowing what to do. She crossed her arms and hugged herself, bending over and resting her forehead on her knees.

Slowly and somewhat hesitantly, Suigetsu guided her into his lap. Her head rested near his heart, he held her tightly and let her continue her hushed sobs. After a few minutes, she began to calm down. Slowly she regained her composure. She began to get up and Suigetsu helped her to her feet. She quietly walked back outside and sat on the porch steps. Suigetsu right behind her. She slipped her shoes on and then sat there, resting her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. Suigetsu sat next to her. The morning was bright, the sun rising into the sky. They sit there for a few minutes, Hibiki letting the cold breeze to dry her tears.

She leaned back held her hand's palms up. She used her right hand to feel the scars on her left hand. They felt a little hard, coarse, probably didn't look good. Hibiki traced her scars with a sad but accepting look. Suigetsu reached out and took her left hand into his. He too studies it.

"Gross huh," she frowned

"It's a little weird yeah." He joked.

"I should have put my gloves on," she said.

"Nah, your hands are fine the way they are," He nudged her.

"You're talking shit, aren't you?" she glared.

"Maybe, but they're still your hands Hibiki. Can't exactly grow new ones," he said

She smiled softly.

"This is my home," she says. Suigetsu looks around him and recognizes the place she talked about in her story.

"It's nice?" he tried.

She smile widened, "I lived here with my mom. My own little world, here inside the fence. I always knew where I was inside. I never felt lost. I felt free in the yard, I could do anything. I was caged, but I loved my cage." she sighed. Suigetsu took her hand in his and intertwined their figures.

"The house was always old. It creaked when you walked through. The creaks let me know where I was. I didn't like staying inside though. I was almost always outside. I ran along the fence; I'd do cartwheels and somersaults and all kinds of gymnastics. I never wore shoes then; I liked the feeling on my feet. The grass was shorter then."

"We had a garden that I took care of. I really enjoyed growing different veggies that mom and I would eat. It made me proud to know I helped my mom. She worked so hard. She was a seamstress, she worked in the village from early morning to after dark. I couldn't see her, but I could hear the smile in her voice when she came home. Always so happy to listen to my stories of the day. During winter I went to work with my mom on some days. I was taught to sew, I'd sew small holes closed for them."

"The people of the village were so nice, always excited to see me. They called me their 'butterfly' for some reason."

"This was also when mother would teach me. About my clan. She would do it at night, all the windows shut and covered, she would only whisper to me. I didn't know why then. I do now. She instructed me on how to use my foresight, how to get to it. She would read me stories from an old book and from the stories, I understood what to do."

"I won't go into details, but when she committed suicide, she burnt the book and herself. I know why she did it, and understand her reasoning. But I feel so responsible for it. I'm not sure what happened in the village, I just found it like that. I had no one left." A sad smile rested on her face. She smiled and stood up,

"let's go back," she said. Together Hibiki and Suigetsu walked with their hands connected until they reached the inn.


	18. Chapter 17:The wait

**Chapter 17: The Wait**

"Twilight, That girl's late. How long does it take to pick up supplies?" Suigetsu complained. He turned and looked at Hibiki who had spent at least 6 hours searching the future. She isn't eating as often as he thought she should and She must have been straining herself as her nose bleed every so often, and each time it did Suigetsu would wipe it off. She was working too hard.

Hibiki focused, she strained, she needed to see.

Naruto blurred so much, so many possibilities. With him getting more involved and in closer proximity to her search zones, he was becoming more of a nuisance every time he breathed. Hibiki worked hard to narrow the possibilities down and to learn his most likely choice.

He must either be elaborate, knowing, and wise beyond his years or he was the worst kind of idiot. Hibiki would bet on idiot.

Frustrated Suigetsu stood.

"Jugo. I'm gonna go check on Karin." he said walking to the door.

"Yeah." Juugo agreed. But before Suigetsu could open the door Karin busted it down, standing on top of the fallen door, on top of a very pissed Suigetsu.

"Wake up, Sasuke! We're going to have company! What do we do?!" Karin frantically asked.

"We escape Get ready." Sasuke ordered sitting up. "Juugo, mark every Akatsuki hideout that we know." Once Suigetsu got out from under the door, he wanted to hit Karin but didn't, promising revenge. He squatted in front of Hibiki,

"Hibiki?" he asked as he shook her shoulder.

After a few shakes Hibiki gasped, and took deep breaths, She quivered slightly. Man, she hated it when she was disturbed.

"What? What's wrong?" Hibiki panicked.

"We are leaving," he answered helping her up. "You ok?"

"A little disoriented but yeah I'm ok," she confirmed. Sasuke left the room followed (closely) by Karin and Juugo. Suigetsu took Hibiki's hand and lead her out of the Hotel. And out of the village.

Just outside the village main gate Suigetsu turned to Sasuke.

"You're okay now, Sasuke?" he asked.

"Yeah. I've been healing a lot faster since I absorbed Orochimaru's power." He explained.

"Whether it's Akatsuki or the Hidden Leaf, they might have information on Itachi. So why don't we ambush them, Sasuke?" Karin asked.

"From what you reported about the number of people, it's most likely the Hidden Leaf." Sasuke sighed.

"The Akatsuki always work in two-man cells. It's faster and safer that way. Ensuring at least one lives to finish the job." Hibiki told Karin.

"Which means an ambush would be a waste of time." Suigetsu frowned.

"Exactly," Sasuke said. "Forget the Hidden Leaf."

"Then what'll we do?" Karin asked.

"Itachi is our only priority. Once we locate him, worse comes to worst, you three must stop the Hidden Leaf. For now, team "Hebi" will use the information gathered by Juugo and check out Akatsuki hideouts one by one." Sasuke instructed.

"All right." Karin agreed.

"Hibiki, is there anything you can tell me," Sasuke asked, he needed to know if she was still of use or if they should leave her behind.

"Yes. Karin, tear up Sasuke's old shirt. Juugo, have your birds take a piece and fly off in different directions. This will scatter the Leaf enough so if one group catches us, they will be easily handled." Hibiki reported.

"What!? What makes you think I have Sasuke's old shirt!"

"Well, you grabbed it for this purpose, right?" Hibiki smiled. Karin caught on quick.

"Ye-Yes! I did." Karin agreed. Suigetsu had to work hard to restrain his laughter, Hibiki would get mad if he laughed too loud.

"Let's go." Sasuke ordered.

Karin and Juugo followed the plan as the other three moved on. When Karin and Juugo caught up, Karin got Hibiki on her back and the group took off running.

They began with the nearest hideout, Marked by a broken statue in the woods. At the statue, the group stopped.

"It's up ahead. You guys wait until I give the order. I'll go and see." Sasuke ordered as he left.

Hibiki sat in the grass and closed her eyes, furrowing her brow. Just as Hibiki feared, Itachi was blurred. Not only were there, what? 30 Naruto's running around, but Itachi was split as well. But one of Itachi's possible clones was encountering with Naruto, she couldn't do anything.

Perfect shadow clones are indistinguishable in her foresight, as they are intelligent copies and are capable of making small decisions by themselves. She opened her eyes again and touched the warm liquid on her lip.

"Your nose is bleeding again," Suigetsu worried, helping her wipe it off.

"It's my precognition. I'm still recovering from the fire, I had to use so much energy to focus." Hibiki explained.

"I've seen you use your vision like that before and you were fine after," Karin commented.

"How exactly does this work?" Juugo joined. Hibiki sighed.

"Man, you guys are ganging up on me… well, we do have a little time to kill." Hibiki concluded.

"Well when I look into the future, I'm not really in my own body… my 'spirit' has to leave my body in order to use my foresight. The more still my body is, the easier it is to remove my 'spirit' from it. When anything happens to my body, say being poked with a spoon.." Hibiki paused. Suigetsu chuckled a little. "My 'spirit' is dragged back to my body. I cannot do strenuous activity while using my foresight. Even standing can be tricky, I've gotten better over the years, but my best work is done when I'm sitting still."

"Due to this, what I did to help Sasuke was, essentially ripped my soul in half, part of my soul to view precognition, and the other to work the body. It's straining and very dangerous. If I stay like that too long, I would die. I can hold this state longer when I'm not in pain, and if I'm just moving around. But when I went into the fire, I was in pain, so I was being dragged back into my body with more force. I had to strain myself to do it. And in that state, I cannot see further than the next minute, and even looking that far ahead is impossible in the fire. I was running on second by the second vision, like normal people." Hibiki smiled sadly "So now I'm just straining myself further I guess."

Suigetsu pinched Hibiki's ear, "Then stop using it." he nagged, Karin did the same on the other side. "We can be fine on our own for a few more days." she gripped. They let her go. Hibiki rubbed her now sore earlobes.

"You don't have to do it so hard," she complained.

They then waited ten minutes is silence, waiting for any sign, signal or command from Sasuke.

"I wonder if Sasuke is ok?" Suigetsu wondered aloud.

"What do you mean?" Karin glared

"What if the first Akatsuki hideout is a bulls-eye?" he restated.

"Are you saying Itachi is inside this hideout?" Juugo asked.

"I said, "what if?" This Itachi is supposed to be really strong, right?" Suigetsu asked back.

"There's no way that Sasuke could lose to…" Karin paused as she contemplated.

"Maybe we should be thinking about a worst-case scenario." Suigetsu planned.

"I'm going to check out the inside from here. If anything happens, we're going in!" Karin confidently proclaimed

"Huh? Why're you taking over all of a sudden? When it comes to Sasuke, you go overboard." Suigetsu teased.

"Th-That's not true! I'm not going! You idiot!" Karin fought back.

"You're worried too Suigetsu, don't tease too much." Hibiki smiled. Suigetsu glared at her for a moment, even though he knew she won't be able to see it.

"I'll ask the birds to scour the area and look out for the enemy's approach," Juugo stated as he stood.

"Geez, both of you…" Suigetsu sighed. Karin walked a little closer to the entrance, to get the best feeling she could. Juugo was off, still in eyesight, with the birds gathering around him.

Suigetsu and Hibiki both stood and stretched. He looked over to the entrance and frowned.

"If it were empty, he would have been back by now." Hibiki voiced,

"Yeah exactly what I'm thinking." he agreed.

The group gathered again and made the unanimous choice to go in, as they walked into the mouth of the hideout Karin paused.

"That chakra, it must Itachi's," Karin gasped as she ran forward. Juugo followed suit.

"Stay here, I'll be back." Suigetsu promised Hibiki as he ran in. Knowing that if Itachi was inside she would only be a nuisance, Hibiki sat in the mouth of the cave and sighed. She was using her foresight too much. She would get sick if she didn't rest. She crossed her arms and frowned in thought.

 _I can't not look, especially with Naruto in the area, something bad could happen again._ She concluded. As she furrowed her brow in concentration and separated from her physical body.

…

Hibiki opened her eyes and stood as the rest of the group exited the cave in a rush. Sasuke getting Hibiki on his back as he passed. The other three hung back a little as they moved through the forest. Giving the two space to talk. _If Sasuke is carrying her, he must have some questions._ Suigetsu thought, still not liking how Hibiki and Sasuke had a close bond.

Up ahead Sasuke and Hibiki stayed in any easy silence for some time.

"Hibiki," Sasuke started.

"I know, I've watched over the future and the fight's outcome hasn't changed. You will win Sasuke." Hibiki assured him. After a few moments of more silence, Hibiki gathered her courage and said,

"Sasuke, I've stayed quiet because I knew nothing, I can say would change your mind. But I feel like I need to say it, just to ease my own mind, that I tried."

Sasuke nodded, indicating for her to go on.

"Sasuke killing Itachi won't bring your clan back. I know you're angry but you're not going to get what you want from this. Just take one last look at what your about to do and decide if killing Itachi is what you truly want." Hibiki advised.

"You stay out of my business, and you don't pry. You took care of me and never once lied. You saved my life on many occasions. Right now, you are the only one I can trust completely. I hear what you're saying, but I have made my choice, and I'm not going to change it." Sasuke said back.

"Alright, I understand. I will be by your side until you no longer need me." Hibiki promised. Silence falling between the two once again. After another mile Karin called out to Sasuke.

"Sasuke the same chakra is all over the place! What's going on?!"

"It's probably just Naruto, he has shadow clones running everywhere." Hibiki answered as Sasuke fell back to join the others.

"Should we change course, Sasuke?" Suigetsu asked.

"Ignore it. We'll forge straight ahead." Sasuke commanded.

"Good. Taking the long way would've been tiring." Suigetsu said in relief.

Then from nearby a voice called out, "Sasuke!" Surprising Hibiki.

"What was that?!" Karin gasped as Sasuke quickly disposed of the shadow clone.

"A Shadow Clone." Suigetsu answered.

"Naruto, eh?" Sasuke said annoyed. Not long after that the group burst through the forest and onto a rooftop of an abandoned building. One of a dozen that was once a small village. Running along it, they quickly approached their destination.

"What is this?! A humongous chakra!" Karin gasped. "Incoming!" she warned. Just as they came to a halt, and Hibiki sliding off Sasuke's back and backing up a little.

"You're," Suigetsu said.

"Only Sasuke may go beyond this point. It's Itachi's orders. The rest of you are welcome to wait here." Kisame's sharp voice called.

"All right. Besides, we were only traveling as a platoon in order to prevent interference for my showdown. This will do." Sasuke complied.

"No, you can't, Sasuke! Let's take him down and go in together!" Karin begged.

"I have no intention of fighting. But if you insist on going with him, I will show no mercy." Kisame laughed.

"Karin stay put. This is my vendetta." Sasuke dismissed her, then he ran past Kisame.

Hibiki walked back along the roof to the far end and sat knowing it was safer to be on the opposite side for what she knew was coming next.

"Kisame Hoshigaki and the Great Shark Skin Sword." Suigetsu smiled stepping forward.

"Hmm?" Kisame wondered.

"Have you forgotten me? I'm Suigetsu Hozuki, the younger brother of Mangetsu Hozuki." Suigetsu introduced himself.

"Oh, I didn't recognize you! You've grown, Suigetsu." Kisame said in a pleasantly surprised voice. The two regarding each other like long lost relatives. Feeling the underlying tension between the two, Juugo and Karin retreated next to Hibiki.

"I don't want to just wait around for Sasuke. Will you let me kill some time and have some fun with you, Kisame Senpai?!" Suigetsu grinned, drawing his blade.

"Unlike your brother, you're quite cocky, aren't you? Maybe I should grind you down a bit." Kisame agreed to the challenge. The blades clashed and banged as the two sparred.

"Should I stop them?" Juugo asked, turning to Hibiki.

Hibiki smiled lightly, "He's been pent up for a while now. This is just what he needs, so let him play his game." Hibiki said as Suigetsu and Kisame continued a death battle. "Besides I wouldn't have let him fight if he could die." Karin grimaced at the battle she watched,

"They are too serious for a game." Karin commented as more rubble flew through the air and crashing loudly. "They could kill each other." she smiled. Suigetsu dying would make her day.

"That's what makes it fun." Hibiki laughs,

"It seems you're more proficient with the blade than that kid." Kisame said.

"Kid?! You mean, Zabuza Senpai?" Suigetsu asked.

"My Great Shark Skin Sword was never intended for dueling, you know!" Kisame reminded him

"Same here. This one's for killing!" Suigetsu retorted as they clashed again.

Karin scoffed at the two fighting.

"We all have different ideas of fun, Suigetsu just so happens to enjoy death battles, and murder on some occasions, fun. Besides If he was in any serious danger I would have known. The worst outcome is he gets scuffed up a bit." Hibiki explained to Karin as she sat next to her. Karin grew tired of their battle. Juugo needing a distraction from the violence sat on Hibiki's other side, focusing on the girl's idle chatter.

"You know Hibiki, I just don't get you sometimes." Karin sighed. The two sat silently for a few seconds before giggling together. Once the giggles died off Karin became serious again.

"Will Sasuke be ok?" she worried. Hibiki took on a far-off look and sadly smiled.

"Not for a long time." she answered. A louder than usual hit shook the ground,

"I take back what I said about you being better than Zabuza." Kisame teased.

"Eat this!" Suigetsu yelled as another hit shook the ground.

"Almost got you there, didn't I?" Suigetsu beamed.

"What are you so excited about? Is it your snack time?" Kisame teased again,

"What?!" Suigetsu yelled as he felt his body drain. My chakra But I didn't use up that much yet!" He thought.

"My Shark Skin Sword grinds and absorbs chakra. I thought you would be more observant." Kisame laughed. This only spurred Suigetsu on as the two continued to fight, they both grew tired and couldn't catch their breaths.

During this Hibiki told Juugo how to tell fortunes with the lines on someone's hands, Karin helped by pointing out the lines on the trio's hands. After that they played rock paper scissors, Hibiki lost the most rounds. Juugo enjoyed the ease of their interactions. He was unsure of Hibiki and Karin, but he was beginning to like having them around. Even if it was just to distract him from his murderous tendencies. As the sun set, Kisame and Suigetsu stood across from each other.

"Kisame that is enough," Black zetsu said as it emerged in the space between them.

"Sasuke has finished, we are to bring the others to the hideout." White zetsu finished. Both relaxed and lowered their weapons.

"Until next time then Kisame Senpai." Suigetsu beamed. Kisame smiled and turned, laughing as he walked to the hideout. Karin got Hibiki as they quickly followed after. It was night by the time Kisame and Zetsu arrived at the hideout, the group in tow.

"You can wait here for Sasuke," Kisame said pointing to a room. They all entered, and a door was shut behind them.

In this little room was a kitchenette, a pair of sofas facing each other with a coffee table between them. A door leading to a bathroom on the far wall. Not exactly the space Karin was expecting inside an Akatsuki Hideout, _Guess they had to do business with outsiders somewhere._ She thought.

"Cozy." Karin sarcastically judged.

Juugo went for the kitchenette, finding it to be stocked with some basic supplies. Tea, cup ramen and other simple foods. Karin stretched and went to the bathroom. Suigetsu put his sword next to the couch before falling onto it. Hibiki followed and sat with him.

"Did you have fun today?" she smiled.

"You know it! But now I'm exhausted." he said as he stretched.

"Take a nap then, Sasuke won't be back to us for another 4 hours." Hibiki said, motioning him to lay on the sofa. Suigetsu shrugged and flipped on his back, his legs over the arm of the chair and his head near Hibiki. Pouting she flicked his forehead.

"Ow! What?" he complained.

"You're going to be sore if you sleep like that," Hibiki frowned. Taking the hint Suigetsu fixed his positioning, the sofa just long enough to accommodate his legs, his body scooted up, his head coming to rest in Hibiki's lap. She smiled down at him.

"Better?" She asked.

"Yeah," Suigetsu reluctantly sighed. Feeling comfortable enough to quickly drift off to sleep.


	19. Chapter 18: Medicine

**Chapter 18: Medicine**

Suigetsu's soft snore filled the room for an hour before he woke up. Hibiki, hearing him wake up smiles down at him.

"Have a nice nap?" she asked.

"Yeah I guess." he replied yawning.

"We still have time; you can sleep longer if you'd like." Hibiki said, her hand resting on his forehead.

"Nah, I'm good." Suigetsu denied the offer.

"Then can you tell me about your fight with Kisame? I didn't actually get to see it." Hibiki asked.

Suigetsu smiled widely, "Are you sure?" he half asked half joked.

"Yes, I want to know how it went. You've been waiting for this fight for a while now. It must have been exciting." Hibiki encouraged.

Suigetsu stayed resting his head in Hibiki's lap while he recounted the fight, he had with Kisame. Excitement and joy filled his words. Hibiki listened intently. Across on the other sofa, Karin was lounging, a book in her lap, rolled her eyes.

 _Gross, Suigetsu is just gross. I'd smack him unconscious if it were just us._ Karin thought. She glanced at Hibiki's face; _I'll tolerate it as long as Hibiki is happy_. She sighed.

During Suigetsu's story Juugo returned from a walk. He made tea hot for everyone and took a seat on the sofa with Karin and listened in on the conversation. After he finished his own tea, he rested his face in his hand and fell asleep. When Suigetsu finished his story Hibiki petted his head.

"I'm proud of you, you had an even fight with a senpai you've admired. You'll beat him someday." Hibiki beamed. Suigetsu crossed his arms and donned a smug smile.

"Hibiki, how much longer is Sasuke going to be?" Karin asked, looking up from her book.

"Let me see." Hibiki said closing her eyes and furrowing her brow. She sat still for a minute before opening them again.

"I need to go." Hibiki said, standing up. Suigetsu stood up too, catching Hibiki's arm as she rushed to the door.

"Where to?" He asked. "What's going on?"

"I need to go help Sasuke," Hibiki said. "You guys should stay here; I'll bring him back with me."

"No, no way are you leaving by yourself again." Suigetsu told her.

"It's ok, everything is going to be fine," Hibiki reassured him.

"No way, last time you came back half dead. If you're going anywhere, I'm coming too." Suigetsu argued.

"It's different, I promise everything will be fine. Sasuke just needs my help, and you guys should rest more." Hibiki bargained.

"No, Send Karin, or Juugo, or me. You're not going alone." he demanded. Hibiki sighed. Just as Suigetsu was saying something, he was hit from behind and fell into Hibiki's arms unconscious.

"Suigetsu?" Hibiki panicked.

"I just knocked him out. He'll wake up in an hour or so." Juugo said taking Suigetsu from Hibiki and sitting him on the sofa.

Karin burst into hysterical laughing.

"Man, I wish I thought of that first, I wanted to knock the idiot out." She said between fits of laughter.

"Hibiki are you sure you will be fine on your own? You won't come back hurt again?" Juugo asked.

"Yes, this is different." Hibiki promised.

"Then go, Karin and I will hold Suigetsu here. How long will you be?" he asked.

"14 days at least. We are traveling to…" Hibiki started but was hushed by Juugo.

"Don't tell us. The less we know, the less Suigetsu will know." Juugo explained.

Hibiki reached over and brushed Suigetsu's hair off his forehead, then placing a small kiss to it.

"I'm sorry." She sighed. Hibiki started to the door, meeting Karin who handed Hibiki her pack and hugged her.

"Don't die. I kind of like having you around." Karin smiled.

Hibiki nodded and paused at the door.

"Suigetsu is going to be so pissed." She said as she left.

Hibiki looked to Sasuke's location from hers, and slowly made her way outside and through the woods, she stopped after a few feet and checked her positioning. She was too tired to use her front vision (AN: What she did in the fire. She calls it her front vision.) It began raining as she took a man-made path up the side of a mountain and entered a man-made cave near the top. Inside Hibiki could feel the warm fire. She followed the cave wall to where Sasuke was sleeping and sat next to him.

"I was wondering if you were coming, Young crystal. Tell me why you have not brought the rest with you." Obito's cold voice filled the small space of the cave. Hibiki felt claustrophobic. She held her head high and faced the direction Obito was sitting across from her.

"The others are not needed. They would be unhelpful for the mission. They need to rest for when Sasuke and I return." Hibiki reported.

She could feel the air change around her, a pressure pushed on her.

"Visual genjutsu is useless against my blind eyes." she growled.

"HAHAHAHA, it seems so. I was just checking. No need to be so hostile young crystal." Obito smiled. "I'm sure you have questions for me, please ask. We have some time before Sasuke wakes."

"You call me 'Young crystal', is that a confirmation that you know about me. Who I am?" Hibiki accused.

"Yes, Little Omoikane. I know everything." Obito's voice becoming deeper with his words.

"Don't say that name aloud." Hibiki scolded.

"Yes of course, wouldn't want others to come steal the young crystal."

"Am I to expect to be used?" She said, leaning against the cave wall.

"Can you not see that yourself?" Obito played.

"It's a possibility. Your purposefully causing blind spots. You don't want me watching your actions."

"HAHAHAHAHA, then my methods are working, that is good to hear. And no, you are not in our plans. Stay out of the way and you will be left alone." Obito said.

"Understood." Hibiki stated.

It was raining again, Sasuke awoke to find Hibiki next to him. His eyes hurt. As he sat up he looked at Hibiki and Madara. The two seemed tense. Sasuke sighed and turned to Hibiki.

"Hibiki, I have heard Itachi used some eye medication, Kotaro. Find it." He ordered. Hibiki closed her eyes and furrowed her brow without a word. In the time Hibiki searched, Sasuke stood and got ready to leave.

"Howling wolf Village, 3 day run to the village, the medication takes 7 days to make, and a three-day run back." Hibiki reported standing.

"Then let's go," Sasuke said. Hibiki walked forward to the caves entrance.

"'Madara. We are not to be followed." Hibiki said to Obito.

"I'll keep watch over the kids while you're gone." he agreed. With that Hibiki got on Sasuke's back and the two took off to Howling Wolf Village.

Sasuke didn't ask why Hibiki was with him, He knew better than to waste his breathe. The three days to the village was quiet, neither speaking. However, as they reached the villages outskirts, he let Hibiki down and turned to her,

"How much do you know, about Itachi." Sasuke asked. Not looking at her.

"I could only see his death, and your regret. Everything else was blurred purposefully by Itachi." Hibiki explained. Sasuke nodded and the started walking to the village, Hibiki right behind him.

"You learned something haven't you." Hibiki stated. Sasuke looked at Hibiki for a moment before deciding to speak. He gave her a quick summary on his fight with Itachi and what Madara had told him. Hibiki eyes saddened.

"Sasuke," Hibiki started.

"I know." He responded. Hibiki took a deep breath and let it out slowly. _I should have pushed harder; I should have looked harder at Itachi._ She thought as they entered the villages gates.

In the village the two walked by pedestrians, Sasuke stopped and asked a few people about the medication, but got no information on the subject. The people seemingly frightened by the topic. Sasuke lead Hibiki over to a bench to rest.

"Hibiki," He said. Hibiki nodded and searched for the information they needed. "The medicine came from a store called Rengyōdō that lies on the outskirts of town," she said, opening her eyes.

"And the store produces saigenzai, an addictive narcotic." She finished. Sasuke and Hibiki stood and continued through the village and into the surrounding forest. As they were following a path, Hibiki directed them down, Hibiki's nose burned with the familiar stench of corpses. The two stop and Sasuke looks at one that had washed up by the river.

"Their chakra was sucked out." Sasuke says quietly to Hibiki. Hibiki grips Sasuke's shirt. Her stomach becoming unsettled.

"This place is making me sick." She told Sasuke. As they walked on Sasuke steered Hibiki away from two more corpses they passed. Soon they came to the store's front door.

"It's closed." Sasuke announced.

"What time is it?" Hibiki asked.

"Midnight probably." Sasuke answered.

"Man, my sense of time is screwed." Hibiki groaned.

"There is a shrine over there, lets rest inside." Sasuke said. Hibiki agreed and the two sat just inside the shrine's walls.

"Sasuke I don't like this place." Hibiki confessed.

"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked.

"It's making me feel sick, I only feel like this when I'm in danger. It's my precognition warning me of my possible death." Hibiki worried.

"Have you looked to see what is going to happen?" he asked.

"Yeah, I've been trying, but there's an unpredictable presence in the area. Its blurring my vision." Hibiki said.

"We'll have to be cautious than." Sasuke sighed.

"As far as I can tell, if I stay away from people, I should be fine." Hibiki guessed.

"Do what you must," He agreed. Sasuke heard some movement nearby, and stood suddenly, walking out of the shrine.

"Sasuke?" Hibiki called.

"Stay here." He ordered. The next half hour was filled with many sounds. A fire, a boy, Sasuke, and another person speaking. Hibiki tried to use her precognition but got no answers. She hatted not having her vision. It made her completely blind and useless.

Sasuke returned and explained the situation, the shop was on fire, he was suspected of setting it. The owners came one attacking him the other noticed he was an Uchiha. Sasuke laid down to rest, His eyes blurring.

Hibiki tried to relax after everything settled down. She could hear Sasuke sleeping nearby. The sick feeling of her own demise prevented her from sleeping.

The next morning Sasuke and Hibiki sat in the shop owner's kitchen, invited in for breakfast. The owners where a pair of brothers, young still. The breakfast consisted in a dish of vegetables, some broth and some onigiri. It was very simple, Hibiki ate happily, the warm food giving her some comfort. Sasuke at first refused to eat, but after Hibiki elbowed him, he gave in.

"Itachi loved seaweed onigiri. Are you fond of it too?" Kina, the younger brother asked Sasuke.

"Oi, Kina! That's no way to talk!" Reishi the elder brother scolded him.

"What did I say wrong?!" Kina asked.

"I like the ones with dried tuna in it best." Sasuke answered. Hibiki fought a smile, she use to make it for him when they lived with Orochimaru.

"When will you understand, Kina? People get to know who you are by observing your attitude." Reishi instructed.

"I don't give a damn about what the villagers think!" Kina barked back.

"Please forgive his insolence." Reishi apologized.

"It's fine. We are in your home." Hibiki smiled.

"Do you like it, Itachi's brother? I cooked these seaweeds with my own hands!" Kina proudly told them.

"Sasuke."

"Uh?"

"My name is Sasuke. This onigiri is not bad." Sasuke answered. Hibiki smiled, Sasuke was in a good mood. He humored the boy's questions, something he was usually against doing. Then Hibiki frowned, those two brothers must remind him of Itachi and himself. This trip was going to be straining for Sasuke, Hibiki was right to come with him.

"So, who are you lady?" Kinu asked.

"I'm a friend of Sasuke's," Hibiki simplified. Was friend the right word?

"So, are you here to steal our medication?" Kina asked Sasuke.

"Why don't I do the dishes? Can you lead me to your sink please?" Hibiki blurted out, standing. Kina lead Hibiki to the sink and gave her the breakfast dishes. She washed them slowly, knowing Sasuke needed to be alone with the two. Hibiki also felt that the further from the situation she was, the safer she was. As Hibiki turned off the water Sasuke called for her.

"Hibiki, let's go."

"Coming Sasuke." she called back. On her way out she bowed and thanked the boys for their hospitality. Sasuke and Hibiki returned to the shrine.

...

The next few days Hibiki stayed by the shrine, Sasuke was with Kina. The boy was attached to Sasuke, and Sasuke seemed to like the boy too. Hibiki searched the future to little luck. However, there was something she could do, the hole reason she came with Sasuke. Hibiki began to plan, walking in the woods around the shrine, listening and feeling. She had an important task to complete.

Back at the Akatsuki hideout, she had seen only a flash, but it seemed the likely future of Sasuke killing himself was getting close. The future blurred now, But Hibiki was here to insure they both lived. She had made a promise to keep him breathing.

…

 **A few years earlier**

I was placed on a bench in the nearby village. Orochimaru was constructing a new hideout nearby. I was brought along to make sure the base was built to protect against any possible attack, no matter how unlikely. The man was paranoid. It was winter, and it was cold. I wore a jacket over my dress and held my exposed knee's close enough to hide under the jackets warmth.

"Hello." A male voice said. "May I sit with you?"

"Sure." I said, cautious. I hadn't seen this; it must have been a very unlikely event. I knew this was going to shift the future and destroy my current knowledge of events.

"You are Hibiki correct, of that clan," He asked. I tensed up,

"Maybe."

"You know Sasuke Uchiha right?" He asked.

"Yes." I answered. I slid my knees out of my jacket and sat them on the ground, I inched to the edge of the bench ready to escape.

"You don't need to be scared. I'm not going to harm you. I just wanted to know what the future looks like." He gently asked.

"Ok," I said.

"What will happen to Sasuke after his brother's death?" He asked. The man was calm and had an easing aura. I sat back on the bench properly.

"After. How long after?" I asked.

"Nothing specific, just what his general fate is." I closed my eyes and furrowed my brow. I found Itachi's death by Sasuke's hand and followed the most likely path forward. It had not changed so far.

"As of now it's very likely he will commit suicide," I answered. The man tensed and was silent. Sasuke's suicide had been the most likely future for some time now. I looked to see what would happen if I talked him out of killing itachi, or even stopped him all together. This was a very unlikely path. It would take me stopping Sasuke with my own hands to keep him from killing Itachi. And even then, when Itachi dies he goes on to commit suicide. It was apparently unavoidable. Sasuke wasn't good at expressing himself. His emotions would pour over and be too much for him.

I kept this to myself, away from Sasuke and Orochimaru. Just as mother had taught me, the future is a secret to be kept from everyone, only exposed in times of need. Sasuke living past 16 did nothing for my own future, my own survival. So, his death wasn't to be reported. The man grabbed my hands scarring me. He placed something in my hand, it was hard, jewelry of some kind?

"Please, please help him." The man begged. "This can be sold for a lot of money, money that could take care of you for a long time."

I felt shocked. Why Was I being paid by this man?

"Mister it's not my place to," I started,

"I understand what position you're in. But I'm begging for Sasuke's life. As much as you can possibly do, to keep him living." he begged, his voice cracking. Warm wet drops fell on our clasped hands. I sighed and closed my eyes and furrowed my brow.

This path was new, the future shifted by this man's words and by my choice. I saw a path were Sasuke could grow old and die from a long life. Nothing strenuous on my part needed to be done, I opened my eyes again.

"Fine, I'll do everything I can to keep Sasuke alive, I can't promise success though." I told him.

"You promise?" he asked.

"Yes, I promise." I sighed.

"Thank you young crystal," He whispered before vanishing. He was there holding my hands, then he was gone. I called out for him, but he isn't near.

…

Thinking back on it now Hibiki should have known it was Itachi. She never gave it much thought until recently. She couldn't lie to herself though, she didn't rush into the fire to save Sasuke because of this promise, that was an impulse. Sasuke mattered to her now, he was a lot of things, but she knew Sasuke wasn't that bad of a person.

 _The bastard grew on me._ Hibiki thought. This is the time Sasuke was destined to kill himself. He needed her to help him, to get him through this.

On the 7th day of their mission, Hibiki acted. This was the day she would keep her promise. Sasuke sat down exhausted from the day, he sat by the shrine and buried his face in his hands. The more he learned about Itachi the worse he felt. Hibiki had tried to warn him, but he didn't listen.

A soft tap on his shoulder made him look up at Hibiki. She held her hand out to him.

"What?" He asked.

"Come with me," she smiled. Grumbling a bit, he took Hibiki's hand and stood. She began walking off with him in tow. They walked some ways into the forest before coming to a sudden stop. Hibiki then pointed to a nearby tree. Looking up he could see a nest.

"What.." he started, then a crow flew by and landed in the nest, it had a worm and began to feed its chirping children. Sasuke watched the crow quietly for a long time before Hibiki spoke.

"Sasuke who was Itachi?" She asked. Sasuke was surprised by the question, looked at her. She had her head tilted up, looking blindly at the crow's nest. Sasuke frowned and continued to stare at her.

"Itachi was an older brother, one who adored his younger sibling. Itachi was brave, and kind. But Itachi could also be selfish, and scared. He was the monster in your dreams, and in your life. A scapegoat to focus your anger on." Hibiki answered her own question. She tilted her head to Sasuke and squeezed his hand.

"Itachi wasn't simple, or easy to understand, there is still so much you can learn about him. So much you can learn from him." She continued. Hibiki turned and made Sasuke look at her. She put her hands on either side of his face. "Don't look at Itachi as a monster, and don't pity him, don't think about his story as tragic. Itachi was a human. He made his choices and lived his life. He knew where his choices led. His life wasn't easy, but life isn't easy. Sasuke, you need to look at your brother for what he really was. You need to accept Itachi's choices, and you need to accept your own." she explained.

"You can't hold onto these feelings and thoughts; you need to accept them and move past them." she finished. Sasuke could feel so much emotion building inside, emotion he normally tried to push away or convert to anger.

"You don't always have to be so tough. It just me, no one else is around." she whispered. She took Sasuke's hands in both of hers and waited.

They stand there for a while, it's quiet and Hibiki doesn't know if Sasuke is crying or not. But she knows since she can't see him, he will not feel ashamed if he did. That he was processing emotions he avoided for years. After doing as Hibiki had told him, he looked at the last living person he trusted. Sasuke had for a long time considered what Hibiki was to him. What word would describe their relationship. He still wasn't sure of the answer. She was something between a friend and a Sister.

When he was ready, the two walked back to the shrine. Hibiki had an odd way of removing him from a situation, even if it was only for a moment. It was a moment he needed. As much as Hibiki hated Naruto, the two were similar in many ways.

 **AN: I changed some details, as well as time frames. The original book , where I got the content from is (Naruto Jinraiden: The Day the Wolf Howled). I only skimmed through the books contents, most of my research was on the Wiki Fan site.**

 **Thank you for reading.**


	20. Chapter 19 Akatsuki

**Chapter 19: Akatsuki**

Just like Hibiki had said, she returned to the group with Sasuke after 14 days. As Sasuke and Hibiki walked down the hall to the room they were in, she paused.

"I'm kind of scared, Suigetsu is going to be so pissed." she nervously laughed.

"He'll get over it." Sasuke shrugged. Hibiki hid behind Sasuke as he opened the door and entered.

"Sasuke!" Karin joyfully called, hugging him much to his displeasure.

"It's good to see you two," Juugo said. "How was the trip?"

"Fine, we retrieved some medication I needed for my eyes." Sasuke overly simplified. Hibiki walked into the room and peered around Sasuke. Suigetsu sat on the couch with a murderous aura. He glared at Hibiki and Sasuke. He was beyond pissed. For once in her life, Hibiki was glad she was blind. His glare would kill her otherwise.

"I am going to speak with Madara," Sasuke tells the group before leaving. Juugo sensing the tension walked over to Karin.

"We are going for a walk." Juugo said as he picked Karin up with the neck of her shirt. He closed the door behind him, leaving Hibiki to Suigetsu's mercy.

"Is your head ok? Juugo didn't hit you too hard right?" Hibiki asked from her position by the door. Suigetsu stood and walked over to her, He cupped her face in his hand and turned it, Hibiki could feel him appraising her condition with his eyes. After finding Hibiki to be exactly how she left, he sighed. Hibiki relaxed a little, but then felt Suigetsu slam his fist on the wall next to her.

"Damn it Hibiki!" Suigetsu yelled. Hibiki stiffened. She waited for more yelling, but it didn't come.

"I'm sorry Suigetsu, I know you didn't want me to go on my own. But Juugo knocked you out on his own, I had nothing to do with that." she babbled.

"I know when I woke up, he apologized." Suigetsu sighed, his face was in his palm.

"I promised I wouldn't be hurt, and I wasn't." Hibiki tried. He peaked at Hibiki; she had a guilty face. She bit her bottom lip with worry.

 _What's should I say?_ Hibiki thought,

As she worried Suigetsu wrapped his arms around her, one hand came to rest on her hip, and the other cradled the back of her head, pulling her tight against him. Hibiki, in turn, slid her arms around him.

"It was annoying, I felt so anxious, not knowing what was happening or where you were." Suigetsu told her. She nodded her head. "You're a pain in my ass Hibiki. You were gone for two weeks," he complained. "Don't do that again." He whispered. Hibiki smiled against Suigetsu's chest.

"I won't." she answered. He let Hibiki go, and looked at her face, she had dark circles under her eyes, he traced one with his thumb.

"Tired?" he asked.

"Yeah, I haven't slept much." she sighed.

Suigetsu watched Hibiki's face for a moment before gently turning her face up and rubbing his thumb over her bottom lip. It was chapped and dry. Taking Hibiki's hand, He turned and walked back to the couch, falling onto it. Hibiki sat next to him.

"I barely slept too," He groaned.

"Do you want to take a nap?" Hibiki asked.

"Yeah, but I'm scared you'll disappear on me if I do." he moaned. Hibiki giggled,

"We can take one together." She offered, laying back on the sofa. Suigetsu smiled and joined her. On their sides, there was barely enough room for them both. Hibiki rested her forehead against his chest, while Suigetsu wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. Soon Suigetsu could hear Hibiki's gentle breath as she fell asleep, he closed his eyes too and was asleep in moments.

Karin glared at Suigetsu and Hibiki. She came back with Juugo after an hour to find them both asleep, Hibiki secured in Suigetsu's arms. Juugo calmly handed her some hot tea he made before sitting on the opposite couch and relaxing. Karin sipped her tea aggressively next to Juugo.

"Why do you hate him so much?" Juugo asked.

"His chakra feels wrong, and he annoys me." Karin spat.

"And you don't like him caring for Hibiki because?" Juugo wondered.

"Hibiki has a nice calming chakra, when she is close to him all I can feel is his nasty chakra. I can't enjoy Hibiki's presence with him close by." She grumbled.

"I think she's happy though," Juugo commented.

"Yeah, but the moment he slips up I'm chopping off his dick," Karin promised.

"That's aggressive."

"Yep, Hibiki brings out my motherly side," Karin explained.

After two hours, Hibiki and Suigetsu woke up and Sasuke summoned his team to his side. They came into a cold and malevolent room.

"Man, these guys know how to make a menacing room." Suigetsu whistled.

"What's it like?" Hibiki asked.

"Probably a man-made cavern with a bunch of big ass bones." Suigetsu explained.

"Bones from what?" Hibiki asked.

"Hell, if I know, but from the size, I'm fucking glad their dead." he shivered from the image of what the flesh on bones might have looked like. The four gathered near a table, Sasuke sitting at the head, Madara, and Kisame stood on the opposite side. Hibiki stood away from the group hiding herself behind them, not wanting to interact with 'Madara' again.

"Team Hebi is now 'Taka'. Our new goal, to destroy the Hidden Leaf," Sasuke announced.

"You say that, but how do you intend to go about it?" Madara asked.

"We're going to kill the Elders. The others are not our immediate concern." Sasuke clarified.

"If you aim high, the ones below will shield them." Madara replied.

"It won't be that easy. You so-called "Taka" don't have enough strength for that." Kisame snickered.

"Kisame Senpai you shouldn't underestimate us. We still haven't settled that last game of ours. This time, I'm serious," Suigetsu threatened. He lunged to Kisame, his sword drawn.

"Stop it, Suigetsu!" Juugo called after him. The sword was blocked by Madara's arm, giving no damage in its impact.

"Sasuke! You haven't trained them well." Madara scolded.

"Suigetsu! Are you stupid? This isn't the place to…" Karin began to yell.

"My objective is his Shark Skin Sword! I've been hanging with Sasuke only so I could get that!" Suigetsu interrupted.

"Hibiki help us out here." Karin begged.

Hibiki held up her hands in surrender. "What makes you think I have any power over him?"

"Sasuke what'll you do?" Juugo asked.

"All right go for it if you want to, Suigetsu. You probably can't beat him yet anyway." Sasuke said.

"Oh, thanks a lot, Sasuke. Just hold tight. I'll treat you to some tasty shark's fin soon enough." Suigetsu sneered.

"The Akatsuki is also low on manpower. I'd like to avoid unnecessary skirmishes." Madara mediated.

"Humph." Kisame commented. _Yet huh?_ He thought with a toothy smile.

"Then you shouldn't criticize others, you guys." Suigetsu said as he returned to his teammates side.

"We share common interests. From here on, Taka will work together with the Akatsuki." Madara announced.

"And what's in it for us?" Sasuke asked.

"We'll give you a Tailed Beast." Madara offered.

"Tailed Beast?" Sasuke wondered.

"You don't know about them?" Madara asked, surprised.

"I know! It's like the Nine-Tails, with chakra physically manifesting as tails, they're mon-" Karin began to explain but was halted by Sasuke.

"In other words?" Sasuke asked Madara.

"They're chakra monsters, Originally, the First Hokage collected several of them and kept them under his control. Each time a Great Ninja War threatened, the Hokage Hashirama used them to maintain the power balance and distributed them to other lands, starting with the five great nations, as proof of alliances or agreements. You could call them the ultimate chakra weapons. It's not a bad preposition." Madara finished.

"That's quite generous." Sasuke said.

"However, if you betray the Akatsuki, you will die accordingly." Madara warned.

"Humph" Sasuke smiled. Hibiki narrowed her eyes at Sasuke, he wasn't taking 'Madara' seriously enough.

 _Don't underestimate people dumbass._ She thought.

"There are nine Tailed Beasts in this world. The Akatsuki has collected six so far so there are three left." Kisame explained.

"The Akatsuki and Taka will split up to hunt the remaining three. That is our immediate goal." Madara concluded.

"You don't have the Nine-Tails yet, right?" Sasuke wondered. Hibiki knew Sasuke was worried about Naruto, even if it was subconsciously.

"Taka will capture the Eight-Tails. The Akatsuki will hunt the rest. Which includes Naruto." Madara warned Sasuke.

With this the agreement was made, and Akatsuki cloaks were handed out the Taka teammates. Hibiki also received one, although she very reluctant put it on. _Well,_ she thought, _the cloak is like a territorial marker, it should provide some extra protection_. The group also received supplies from Kisame before leaving and heading out into the day.

"Find the Eight tails Hibiki," Sasuke ordered, Hibiki closed her eyes for a moment,

"Land of Lightning, close to the cloud village, once we get closer, I'll look for an exact location you can strike at," Hibiki said wiping her nose. Thus, the group left on a five-day journey to the Land of Lightning. They ran for four days and then rested at an old minshuku on the fourth night.

The Minshuku was run by an elderly man and his son's family. Their room was on the second floor of a guest house, it creaked and groaned when walked through and had a slight draft. Suigetsu stored his sword in a corner and collapsed onto a futon bed.

"I'm exhausted." he groaned.

"There are only three futons," Juugo announced as he and Hibiki laid out the last one. There was a tense moment where no one spoke. It was a cold night, and they all needed sleep. So, no one was willing to forfeit the futons all together. The five of them sat in a circle needing to figure out the sleeping arrangements quickly.

"I guess we split by gender?" Juugo suggested.

"Juugo, you get one to yourself," Hibiki sighed.

"I don't mind sharing." he stated.

"Juugo you take up the whole futon by yourself, plus I've seen you sleep, you move around a lot and none of us want to be crushed in our sleep." Karin explained.

"Sorry," he said, feeling guilty.

While Karin and Hibiki didn't mind sharing a futon, as they have had to before. Suigetsu and Sasuke stared at each other. Neither was willing to sleep that close to each other.

"Your snoring would be in my ear." Sasuke said, making a valid excuse. Karin glued herself to Sasuke immediately.

"I don't mind sharing with you Sasuke." Karin beamed. Sasuke pulled away from her grip.

"I'd rather sleep next to Hibiki." he said. He wanted a quiet night of sleep and would only get it with Hibiki. She didn't snore and she wouldn't cling to him all night.

"There is no fucking way I'm sleeping next to Him/her" Karin and Suigetsu yelled in unison. Hibiki chuckled.

"Sorry Sasuke, none of us would sleep with them fighting all night." Hibiki said. And she was right. Much to Sasuke's displeasure, he had to pick between Suigetsu and Karin.

"Karin is really tired and will probably fall asleep right away." Hibiki hinted.

"Yes, very tired," Karin eagerly agreed.

The arrangement was made, Sasuke and Karin were to sleep on the far left, Juugo in the middle, and Suigetsu and Hibiki on the far right. While Sasuke, Juugo and Karin left to get dinner, Suigetsu sighed in relief.

"I was so freaked about having to sleep next to Sasuke." Suigetsu admitted, laying on his back. Hibiki stat with her knees tucked under her next to him.

"Why were you so freaked, Sasuke is a silent sleeper," Hibiki asked.

"I just get the feeling that if he had a bad dream, he would murder me in his sleep." Suigetsu explained.

"And the fact that I'd be sleeping next to you made it an easy choice." Hibiki teased.

"Yeah well, I'd rather keep my eye on you, you tend to disappear when I'm unconscious." he laughed.

The other three returned and they handed food to Hibiki and Suigetsu and the group shared light conversation as they ate. Once their stomachs were full everyone laid under the covers. Karin stared at Sasuke's back while he slept, giddy. Juugo fell asleep almost immediately. Hibiki and Suigetsu laid facing each other. Hibiki closed her eyes and like Juugo was asleep in minutes. Suigetsu watched Hibiki's face, he wanted to be sure she was asleep before he was. She seemed more relaxed than normal. Smugly smiling Suigetsu drifted off.

Juugo sat up, it was early morning. He found Sasuke sleeping as far from Karin as he could get, while Karin had a giddy face and slept as close to Sasuke as she could get. On his other side Hibiki slept soundly in Suigetsu's arms while he snored. Juugo smiled at the sight. He had to admit as he got to know the two, he grew to support the relationship between them. (AN: he ships them.)

As everyone got ready, Hibiki sat still, looking for their target. Eight tales was eccentric to say the least. He was erratic in some ways but predictable in others. _Maybe it's a jinjuriki thing._ Hibiki wondered. After some searching, Hibiki found his closest next location, and the perfect timing to strike.

Hibiki opened her eyes and stood.

"What can you tell me," Sasuke asked.

"He will be training at Unraikyo, Storm Cloud Ravine." she reported.

"Any distinguishing features?" Sasuke wondered.

"He wields eight blades and has bull horns tattooed on his left cheek," Hibiki stated.

"How long will it be to get there?" Sasuke asked.

"Few hours, we will wait nearby and at noon, he will emerge from the ravine. You can get him then." Hibiki answered.

"Good" Sasuke confirmed.

They ran to the ravine and stopped a few miles away. They rested on some rocks while Hibiki watched the battles outcomes. She grimaced a lot, and her nose bled more than usual.

When she opened her eyes, Suigetsu wiped the blood from her face.

"This guy is tough. You will need to be extremely careful. Don't underestimate him. The most likely possibilities all end in at least one death. The person who dies varies greatly. It can be possible to win without someone dying, but it will be tricky, be cautious and sure with your choices made in battle." Hibiki warned. She pauses and the team is tense except Suigetsu who felt excited about another good battle. Sasuke stands,

"Thank you, Hibiki." He said as he walked off. Juugo pats her head before following Sasuke. Karin bends over and hugs her tightly,

"I'll keep the boys and myself alive." She promised.

"Even Suigetsu?" Hibiki jokes.

"If I have to." Karin groaned. She glared at Suigetsu for a moment before rushing off after Sasuke and Juugo. Hibiki stood as Suigetsu approached her. Once he was close enough, she pulls him into a hug. Holding him tightly.

"Don't die," she begged. Returning her hug, he scoffed,

"You think I'd let someone else decide when I'm going to die." he joked. She stepped back and smiled sadly at him.

Suigetsu softly brushed her bangs away, exposing her forehead, He kissed it gently. He pulled back a little and watched as Hibiki faintly blushed.

"I'll be back soon." he promised, before leaving to catch up with the others.


	21. Chapter 20 Vs Bee

**Chapter 20: Vs Bee**

Not long after everyone left Hibiki found herself pacing.

 _It's going to be ok, calm down. They can do this. I warned them and they know how difficult this guy will be…. But what if…_

Hibiki's head had begun to ache, she was getting them more and more recently. She was using her precognition too much and she wasn't resting enough. Last night she had slept very well, she couldn't remember the last time she slept so soundly. But she would need at least a week maybe two, of rest to be healthy enough to use her precognition regularly again.

She couldn't get rid of this nagging feeling she had, one that told her to go after them. Her hands clasped together, tightly held to her body, she sat on her knees and took several deep breaths.

 _12 minutes, they have been fighting for 12 minutes. How bad could it be?_

She reasoned with herself. She closed her eyes and furrowed her brow, looking in on the battle, she was a good two minutes ahead of the real events but that was fine.

Her stomach fell. Just as she feared, Sasuke didn't listen to her warning. He had underestimated the Eight-Tails. She watched Sasuke electrocute Suigetsu along with the Eight-Tails, knocking Suigetsu out and harming the Eight-Tails. This was bad, most of the futures were death occurred started like this, they were already on a path that lead to death, unless she interfered that is.

Her own choices changed the future but seeing how it affects the future is the hard part. In some ways she herself was a blind spot, she couldn't see the outcomes if she actively chose to act against fate. Thus, what happens when she personally interferes is left up to cruel fate. Sitting there watching her friends die would be very hard. She could do it, and part of her, the rational part, begged her to stay put. That interfering would cause damage to the current path of life. But a small part of her replayed memories, Suigetsu's soothing touch, Karin's brilliant red hair, Juugo's cautious curiosity, and Sasuke. Over and over they played, and her body ached in pain, ached from the thought of losing them. She stood up.

When she opened her eyes, she was using her front vision.

She ran as fast as she could and took large jumps from boulder to boulder, making her way down to the battle. Slipping sometimes and skinning her knees and elbows. But she wasn't moving fast enough, and tears formed in her eyes as the fear of loss overflowed.

As she reached the battleground, she was faced with horror. One of her visions unfolded in reality before her. She was helpless as Suigetsu took a direct hit from a powerful chakra ball, allowing the others to get a distance away.

"Suigetsu!" Hibiki screamed as the blast went off. Blinding light filled the area.

Hibiki closes her eyes again, she pushed past the ringing in her ears, and the head splitting headache, past the blood pouring from her nose. She couldn't get a full picture, but an instinctual feeling appeared, she opened her eyes and followed it. She wasn't very good at chakra control; she actually knew very little about how chakra worked or how chakra and her visions were connected. She knew enough to walk across still water like the water that surrounded the battle. She was desperate, she ran across the surface of the lake, half sinking with every other step. The tears flowed down her face as she fell to her knees in front of an unconscious and jelly-like Suigetsu. She picked him up easily as he was half his normal weight.

Nearby the battle with Eight-Tails continued. Hibiki stood as the creature burst into black fire. The Amerteretsu. Knowing the possible outcomes, Hibiki carried Suigetsu, running as fast as she could to the team's side. Karin spotted Hibiki first and a mix of fear and joy filled her. Hibiki barley made it to them as the creature fell into the water in an attempt to put itself out. Hibiki was bloody and scuffed up. An unconscious Suigetsu in her arms, and tear marks running down her dirty face.

"Watch out!" Hibiki yelled as a tentacle fell towards them.

Karin acted fast and threw the three out of the way of the falling appendage, as it comes down on her Sasuke uses his lightning blade to cut the damn thing in half. Hibiki watched the amputated piece sink with anxious eyes. Something about it felt odd.

However just as Karin was saved, she was hit by another flailing tentacle, the Amaterasu spreading to her. She screamed as she burned. Hibiki turned to Sasuke and watched as he quickly thought of his next move. Realization hit him much to Hibiki's relief. His own eyes straining and his right eye poured blood. Hibiki's ears felt wet as they began to bleed, filling her ears.

As he got the fire out Sasuke yelled at Juugo. Hibiki couldn't hear what he said, or anything for that matter.

Was she deaf now too?

Hibiki's vision blurred but she fought to stay awake for a little longer. She wasn't sure what exactly happened but Juugo and Sasuke calmed down. They spoke and Sasuke walked over to a fuzzy shape floating in the water. Juugo held Karin over his shoulder and used his other to take Hibiki's arm. Together they stood and began to walk onto dry land. Once on land Hibiki fell onto her knees exhausted, returning to her dark world.

 _Hibiki was still conscious, that's good_. Juugo thought. But the fact that Hibiki was still conscious could be very bad. Her nose continued to bleed, the blood making a line and dripping off her chin, one ear began to drip blood. Juugo helped Hibiki stand as Sasuke returned.

"Her hearing is gone for now. I think it should come back." He reported. Sasuke nodded.

"We need to deliver him to Madara right away," Sasuke said. Juugo nodded and carefully pulled Hibiki along with them as they walked to the rendezvous point.

They walked, staggered and took breaks for 12 hours. Finally, Hibiki and Juugo stopped walking and waited.

 _He's delivering the Eight-Tails_. She thought.

They didn't wait long, soon they were moving again. Hibiki still couldn't hear but she called out to the two.

"There's one of Orochimaru's half-finished hideout nearby. There is a tank for Suigetsu and beds for us," she loudly proclaimed. Sasuke patted her head to assure her they heard and understood.

Hibiki took care of them even when she was dead on her feet.

The exhaustion everyone felt and the injuries they had made their progress slow. Hibiki told Sasuke where the hideout was, or the general area, and this helped spark his memory of the place. Their slow pace prolonged the journey, reaching the base after what Hibiki later learned was 2 days of walking.

Hibiki couldn't allow herself to pass out though, even though pain shot through her entire body she refused to fall down. She couldn't put more burden on the two others left conscious.

Once inside Sasuke filled the large tank with water, then guided Hibiki up to the top. She didn't seem to be aware, moving mostly on autopilot at this point. He opened the tank's hatch and helped Hibiki find it. Feeling the water, she let her tight grip on Suigetsu go. He sank from her. Once she did this her body gave in and she fell over. Her body still as a rock.

Sasuke carried Hibiki to the room Karin was laid in. He put her on the bed to rest. Sasuke left and walked to a separate room and collapsed onto a bed himself. It was dusty and made him cough. His body refused to move once it was rested. Not only was he testing the limits of his sharingan and body, Hibiki had about reached her end. She shouldn't be using her visions, and she should rest in bed.

Some guilt gripped Sasuke. They all came close to death, too close. The team, he didn't listen to Hibiki. She warned them, she told them that most possibilities ended in at least one death. Yet again he ignored Hibiki's advice. What the hell was wrong with him?

 _At least one good thing came from this mess._ He thought with a sly smile as he fell asleep.

Hibiki woke up after 48 hours. Her body aching. She dragged herself to a shower and washed her nasty body. She cleaned her ears and nose of dried blood and washed her scratches and scrapes.

Her head still hurt; her ears rung. She was killing herself. Hibiki pushed those thoughts aside and changed into some clothes Karin had left out for her. After her shower she stumbled down the hall to the large common area. If her memory was correct Suigetsu's tank would be in there and the door to the kitchen would be on the far back wall. She stumbled forward using her feet to check the space in front of her as she followed the wall, not long after she found the kitchen door. She walked in and stubbed her toe on the chair before taking a seat.

A hand touched her shoulder and Hibiki fell over in surprise. A large hand helped her back up, it had to be Juugo. She pointed to her ears to indicate her hearing was still gone. Juugo tapped her head to indicate he understood. He guided Hibiki out of the kitchen, which had only one chair and a lot of knifes, to a crate he used as a table and sat her down by it. He disappeared for a few minutes before he delivered food and showed her where it was. She ate slowly as to not make herself sick. Behind her Suigetsu's jelly body began to solidify, but he was still unconscious.

Karin had woken up earlier, Treated Sasuke and Juugo as best she could, and tended to her own injuries. The Amaterasu fire had burned her but didn't leave any scaring. She couldn't imagine the pain Hibiki must have suffered through to get Sasuke from the burning building. Hibiki was passed out still, she found some old clothes that must have been prison clothes and laid them in a spot for Hibiki to change. Her clothes were covered in grime and blood. She also worked on Suigetsu's tank, adjusting the settings a little before she ate and returned to bed.

Sasuke came and went from his room, keeping to himself, and Juugo was taking long naps.

Karin slept for another day before the lingering burning feeling began to subside. When Juugo told her Hibiki couldn't hear, she was insistent that the girl stay in bed. She brought food and water to Hibiki periodically, she had to wake her up sometimes, making sure she ate, her body needed the nutrients. She only allowed Hibiki was only to leave bed to use the bathroom, and even then, Karin walked her to and from.

Karin also took responsibility for Suigetsu's recovery and adjusted the controls on Suigetsu's tank, he needed different temperatures at different times of his healing process. Karin hated to admit it, but he saved all their asses. She was going to do what she could for him while he was healing, as a thank you. Once he was healed, she wouldn't owe him anymore.

Of course, Juugo was still in a childlike state, his clothes too big for him. He rolled up the pants and sleeves and had to use a rope as a belt to keep his pants up. His other injuries were less intense, some cuts and scrapes, plenty of bruises, but otherwise fine.

Thankfully Hibiki regained her hearing after Karin made her stay in bed. Hibiki sat up and was startled by arguing from the tank room. Hibiki frowned, at least she had full hearing back. She stood and stormed out. Hibiki walked into the main room only to hear loud bickering from two familiar voices.

"Why'd you leave behind my executioner's blade?" Suigetsu yelled.

"Shut up Suigetsu, just be thankful we didn't leave you behind too!" Karin yelled back.

"How dare you! You passed out too Karin!" Suigetsu growled.

"I ended up that way protecting you all!" Karin barked.

"Would you both stop fighting! You were all idiots!" Hibiki cursed as she entered the room.

"Yeah but," Suigetsu began.

"Don't you start mermaid boy!" Hibiki snapped.

Karin burst into laughter.

"Shut it stalker! This is all because you guys didn't listen to my warning, now I have to reorient myself with the whole damn future." she barked, Hibiki wasn't having any of their shit today. She went and sat in a chair by the crate. Slamming her head onto the crate with an aggravated sigh.

"Anyway, are we really getting the Biju's power Sasuke?" Suigetsu grumbled.

"Heh, who knows, but we actually no longer need to depend on such things," Sasuke smirked.

"Why not?" Suigetsu asked.

"I've obtained new powers... Strong enough to destroy Konoha." Sasuke smugly smiled as he reached for his glass. He missed knocking the glass over.

"What's the matter Sasuke?" Karin asked.

"Nothing," he said. Karin starts to say something but stops, turning to the door.

"What is it, Karin?" Juugo asked.

"I sense a chakra outside, it seems we've been tailed," Karin warned. Sasuke and Juugo share a look, stand and leave. Karin sighs and goes to her room, she was grateful for Suigetu's help, but the annoying bastard wouldn't shut his mouth, she needed her space from him, otherwise she might just kill him. With the room empty Hibiki walks over and sits in front of Suigetsu's tank.

"Mermaid boy?" he asks.

"Sorry, I'm just pissed," Hibiki frowned and leaned her head against the cold tank. "You and Karin would have died if I didn't show up," she whispers.

Suigetsu mirrors her and smiles.

"Sorry, Hibiki," he says. They sit there, their foreheads parted by thick glass. Hibiki giggles a little.

"This is just like when we first meet huh?"

"Yeah," he smiles.

"Hey kid, come let me out!" Suigetsu called.

Hibiki giggles harder.

"Come let me out girly!" he smiled tapping on the glass.

"Orochimaru will be mad if I do!" she responds.

"That's the point, I want to get out of here." he continued.

"In due time Suigetsu," Hibiki finished their play.

After a minute Suigetsu asked,

"Seriously how much longer am I in here for?"

"Karin said you can come out soon," she tells him

"Aggg, that's as vague as 'in due time'." he groaned.

That Night Hibiki woke up, still sore and aching. She stretched and walked back into the main room. She wandered over to the crate taking a seat. She rested her head on her arms, on the crate.

"How are your eyes?" she asks. Sasuke sighs, of course, she knew he was here.

"I'm worried my vision will deteriorate to blindness. Madara warned me it would happen with them …"

"There is a solution isn't there?" Hibiki asked already knowing the answer.

"I'm not taking Itachi's eyes." he snapped.

"You don't have much of a choice Sasuke. Besides, we both know Itachi would want you to have them rather than you go blind." Hibiki reasoned.

"I know." he somberly agrees.

Juugo entered from the door, coming in and locking it behind him.

"Did you find it Juugo?" Hibiki asked, sitting up.

"Yes, it was exactly where you said it was." he confirmed leaning Suigetsu's sword against the wall.

"You used you vision Hibiki?" Sasuke asked, frowning.

"Yeah, otherwise we'd spend the next few days hunting it down. I just saved us time." she sighed.

The next day as Suigetsu gets out of the tank and gets dressed, he sees Hibiki holding his blade.

"Did you get it?"

"I found it, Juugo got it. I didn't leave the Hideout."

"Wow keeping your promise so far." he laughed taking it from her. "Thanks."

"Your welcome mermaid boy." she smiled back.

"That's going to stick isn't it?" he frowned.

"I'll try to stop." she smiled.

With everyone back to (or as close as they could get to) normal they left the hideout. Karin got Hibiki on her back and the group took off to Konoha


	22. Chapter 21: A Mistake

**Chapter 21: A Mistake**

Konoha was a week's run from their location near Kumogakure. They could make it there faster, but the fight with Eight Tails had caused a lot of damage to everyone. Even Sasuke had to admit (non-verbally) he was sore, and his eyes needed more rest. The group needed to be in their best condition to take on Konoha. Thus, they decided to take the trip in increasing increments. Karin's back was still sore from when she was hit by the amaterasu, she wouldn't be able to carry much extra weight. Juugo was also in his childlike state, the size of a 12 year old at the oldest. Leaving Hibiki to Suigetsu.

As they prepared to leave Karin watched him talk with Hibiki. She knew he was definitely in love with Hibiki, much to her own disgust. While he isn't as affectionate when everyone else was around, his personality shifted when he was alone with Hibiki, Karin had listened in (accidently of coarse) on a few occasions. She noticed how he wasn't bitching about 'babysitting' Hibiki like he usually did. Of course, He still had a general attitude that matched his chakras stink.

It was early, the sun just on the verge of raising when the group stood outside the uncompleted hideout.

"We will stop at the border." Sasuke ordered as he took off. Karin and Juugo on his tail, with Suigetsu carrying Hibiki in the back of the formation. Hibiki fell asleep in his arms as they ran. She was still sickly even though her hearing had returned. Wanting her to get as much rest as possible, he kept her as still as he could while they moved.

They had reached the border as the sun set and stopped at the closest small inn. Karin laid out the futon for Hibiki once they got to the room, and Suigetsu placed her in it. Soon after Sasuke and Juugo went to the baths, with Karin making a stupid excuse to follow after them. Suigetsu watched Hibiki sleep, she was tense and uneasy.

Sighing he stood and opened a door leading out into a community area, an open aired garden in the center of the inn, sitting on the porch and relaxing. It was nearing the end of summer, fall just beginning to claim its first leaves. When was the last time he saw fall? He couldn't remember.

...

Hibiki didn't know how long she was asleep for, but she still felt like sleeping more. She woke up in a soft futon, she slowly sat up and listened around for the others. The room she was in however was silent. Hibiki stood and stretched, carefully maneuvering her way around. As she felt the cool breeze coming from behind her, she headed in that direction.

"Suigetsu?" Hibiki called behind him. He smiled at seeing her awake,

"Here." he called back. She walked forward and sat next to him. He took her hand in his, their fingers tangling. They both sighed a long-tired sigh. Hibiki gently squeezed Suigetsu's hand to get his attention.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing it just, everything is settling down now. Just It feels like the calm before the storm." she told him.

"Ug your right, can't I just stay here?" he groaned. "I don't really care about Konoha… but then again I don't want to miss anything…" he argued with himself.

"You didn't get enough action fighting the eight tails?" she teased.

"Are you kidding? He was a tough guy; I want a more evenly matched fight. Taken on leaf ninja will be three times easier to deal with. Plus, they're going to be less annoying, Man I don't want to hear a rap ever again, the mans ruined it."

"That bad huh?" she smiled at him.

"You're lucky you missed it," he joked.

They sat together for a few minutes feeling the wind cool as the sun disappeared, stripping the earth of warmth. Hibiki's head was still hot, a shadow of a fever lurking.

Suigetsu's water cool skin was soothing, she wanted to use his hand as a compress. Taking a deep breathe Hibiki turned her body so she was facing him.

"Suigetsu?"

"Yeah?" he answered.

"I, I've been thinking," she blushed to Suigetsu's amusement. "and I've decided to help you find the seven swords."

Suigetsu watched her for a moment, appreciating the real blush and soft smile she had. A show of true emotion. He couldn't help but smile like a fool. Thank god no one was nearby.

"So, your saying yes." he asked.

"Yes," she confirmed

"Good, now you don't have to worry about finding your next shield," he smiled.

"Well, you wouldn't be a shield right, more like a partner?" she blushed harder.

"That's even better," Suigetsu laughed, gripping her hand tighter.

"So where would we live, or I mean have the base?" Hibiki corrected herself.

"Off the top of my head, we could live in your old house, after fixing it a little." he tried to casually suggest.

"Why there?" she asked.

"Well your familiar with the town so you can walk around without getting lost, and its secluded…" he lists,

"I'd like that." she smiles.

"Me too." he sighed, shifting to face her.

Suigetsu lifted his other hand and cradled her face in it, she leaned her head into his palm. Suigetsu softly rubbed his thumb over her cheek, slowly back and forth. They leaned in slowly, the tip of their noses almost touching.

But the door opened as Sasuke, and Juugo entered the room, Karin following shortly after, a bump on her head and in a bad mood. Obviously, her attempt at getting to sneak peak of Sasuke had failed. Suigetsu and Hibiki simultaneously separated, Hibiki looking forward and Suigetsu returning to the room, Growling in frustration,

 _If this happens one more time, I'm killing them._ He viciously thought

...

For the next leg of the journey they had to travel for two days. At first moving as fast as they could without straining themselves. Going through two more borders and into the Land of Fire. When the moon rose into the sky they stopped and made camp for a few hours before continuing on into the second day. To help keep the trip from becoming too straining, Sasuke let the group walk for a bit.

Hibiki and Karin spoke as they walked, and as noon set in Juugo pulled Hibiki away from Karin and moved her beside him falling behind the group so they could speak in private. Suigetsu looked back to see the two walking together, He frowned and turned forward.

"Hibiki your close with Sasuke right?" Juugo asked.

"Yeah, I guess. Why?"

"I'm beginning to worry. His sanity seems to be slipping." Juugo whispered. Hibiki frowned and nodded.

"Your right, he is in a pretty bad place. But as far as I can tell he isn't a harm to himself, so thats enough for now. If you want me to stop him I can't. No one can, we have to just go along with the ride right now. And help him when we can."

Juugo sighed in exhaustion. With his worrying was verified, he considered Sasuke's possible actions. After a few moments he looked up at Hibiki again.

"And what about you?"

"What about me?" she retorted.

"Are you ok? You lost your hearing before, and you haven't been sleeping well." he told her.

"How can you tell?" she asked

"You got purple bags under your eyes. You look like a walking corpse to be honest." he said.

"That bad huh," she frowned. _Suigetsu must be worried if I look that bad_ , she thought absently.

"So, should we be watching you more closely, make sure you don't pass out?" he sarcastically asks.

"Maybe, I am straining myself. I'm not resting enough to compensate for the overuse of my precognition."

"What happens when you push too hard?" he wondered

"Well my precognition blurs, I won't be able to tell what's going on, and worse case I could slip into a coma and die." she explained

"Hibiki…." Juugo started.

"It's alight. I'm doing my best to keep some balance." she promised.

"Does Suigetsu know how bad you are?" he accused.

"He has suspicions I'm sure. But I'm scared to tell him, I don't want him to get in the way if I need to use my vision." she admitted.

"Tell Suigetsu, it will be worse if you don't." Juugo instructed her.

"You look like a kid but talk like an adult" Hibiki laughed, Juugo smiled and joined her.

"I'm going to walk with Suigetsu before he gets too jealous." Hibiki said as she parted with Juugo, calling out for Suigetsu.

"That's probably a good idea." he said to himself.

That night at the inn, Hibiki and Suigetsu sat on the deck together. Hibiki pulled her knees to her chest and began to tell Suigetsu about her talk with Juugo at noon. Hibiki listened to Suigetsu groan in exhaustion.

"Hibiki you are killing yourself; you need to stop. Just don't use it until you're sure it's safe." he told her.

"I wish I could but, Suigetsu so much is changing so fast recently. I have to make sure you are all safe." she shyly stated.

"We can handle ourselves." He reassured.

"I know you guys are strong but, I have to know, what if something like the fire happens again?" She worried.

"Hibiki…." Suigetsu started saying but paused. Hibiki looked like a zombie, she had dark purple circles under her eyes, and her face strained with worry and anxiety. Suigetsu wanted her to stop, but he knew she probably couldn't, not now, not while this anxious. The fight with eight tails screwed with everyone. Karin was hesitant around fire, Juugo was having a hard time being so small, and Sasuke, well Sasuke was by far the worst. He's always had this air to him, maybe it was Suigetsu's imagination, but the killer in him recognized Sasuke as a danger. Every day it seemed like he slipped a little deeper. Hibiki just said he was not of harm to himself… as long as it's not Hibiki or Juugo, or even Karin for that matter, then it didn't matter who he killed, who he hurt.

"You're not budging on this are you?" he said sullenly.

"Nope." Her voice confident.

"Fine but you're not using it long, you can't use it without one of us with you, and we will wake you up if the bleeding starts again." he caved.

"Yes sir." She teased.

Hibiki laid down after eating, Suigetsu glued to her side. She closed her eyes and relaxed. Over their time together, so much has changed. They all practically ignored each other when they started, but now it was different. Suigetsu and Karins arguing filled silences, like two kids arguing. Juugo was level headed, and evenly tempered, the exact opposite of when he transforms. He often played mother, breaking up fights, and scolding them for what they ate. Sasuke would stay mostly silent now, but before his fight with Itachi, he had joined in on the conversations. Their group of solitary people became a family, a broken, dysfunctional family, but a family all the same. Hibiki smiled at this.

Hibiki felt so responsible for everyone's lives. She used to only use her precognition to keep herself alive, but now she made sure everyone else stayed alive. The bastards grew on her. Hibiki then furrowed her brow. And was ambushed with so many new changes.

"Mother Fucker!" Hibiki screams, sitting upright.

"What the hell, Hibiki?" Suigetsu jumped at her sudden outburst.

"The eight tails got away! I am so stupid, how did I not see this!" she yelled at herself. Burying her face in her hands.

"The eight tails got away? What happened?" Karin asks as she moves to Hibiki's side, hugging her shoulders to try and calm her down.

"When Sasuke cut the tentacle to keep it from crushing you, the man made a clone. He tricked me."

"He tricked us." Juugo corrected.

"So where is he now?" Karin wondered.

"I don't know, I can't see. Its blurring." she cried out. Suigetsu slowly removed Hibiki's hands from her face, lowering them and holding them. She shook and gripped his hands.

"I'm so sorry, we risked so much for nothing!" she frowned.

Her head was throbbing again, she groaned in pain. Suigetsu helped her lay back again and felt her forehead. It was hot to the touch.

"She has a fever." Suigetsu told Karin. Karin nodded and searched Hibiki's bag finding some of her medication left over from before. She quickly gave some to Hibiki.

"This is a change," Sasuke sighed.

"Do we change course?" Suigetsu asked. "Find Madara?"

"No, we go to Konoha as planned. Madara will come to us." Sasuke stated.

The next two days Karin carried Hibiki on her back as they ran to Konoha. She was slept most of the time.

 _I should have stopped her, Now she's even more sick._ Suigetsu thought as Karin called out,

"Incoming! Someone's here!"

They all stop, Hibiki woke up and was placed on her feet, Karin steadying her as Madara manifests a few feet away.

"It seems we have a problem." Madara stated.

"Hibiki told us." Sasuke said.

"So, what do you want us to do about it? It's not our business anymore." Suigetsu sneered, done with this guy's shit already.

"I disagree you will complete the job you were assigned. Though it won't be Eight Tails, I have decided to have you carry out a different mission." Madara said.

"And what if we decline?" Sasuke asked.

"Then we will battle it out here. And you will not be able to go to Konoha. Although it is a little late for you to go to Konoha. Your objective seems so futile now," Madara laughed.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke glared.

"Did the young crystal not see this. I'm surprised." he mocked.

"Konoha?" Hibiki asked. She thought through back, but her head throbbed when she did.

"What happened?" Hibiki demanded.

"The village of Konohagakure is no more young Crystal. Something your predecessors could have prevented. A shame really. Pain destroyed the village during his battle with Naruto." he told her.

"What? Naruto fought…" Hibiki questioned, her breath getting harder.

"It seems the new Kage is Donzo." He announces.

Madara moved closer to Sasuke, "There is a five kage summit soon. All the kage will be there including Danzo. Of course, the young Crystal should know all this." he mocked.

"I, my I…." Hibiki murmured confused.

"What are we going to do? The Leaf Village is no more. And if this Danzo, our target, is going to the Five Kage Summit, shouldn't we be heading there too?" Suigetsu guessed, gaining everyone's attention, "W-What? Am I wrong?" he pulled away.

Sasuke stood tall and announced "We, Taka, will take the Hokage's head at the Five Kage Summit. We're changing our destination."

"Sounds like a plan." Madara agreed.

"So, where is this Five Kage Summit taking place?" Sasuke asked Madara.

"This is becoming a really bothersome situation." Suigetsu complained.

"Why not ask the crystal. She has all the information you need." Madara laughed as he disappeared. Grabbing Hibiki they all moved to the ground below, Hibiki fell to her knees, and held her head between her hands.

"I need to see this for myself." she begged Sasuke.

"Hibiki you're sick." Karin worried.

"I'm fine, I need to look, I can do this." she quickly said.

"Fine." Sasuke agreed as he turned to run. Karin carried Hibiki as she murmured to herself. Suigetsu followed glaring at Sasuke.


	23. Chapter 22: Tag Along

**Chapter 22 Tag Along**

They went to the closest Inn they could find. Once in the room Hibiki ran to a wall and plopped down. Sitting up straight, she closed her eyes and furrowed her brow. The team followed after, surrounding Hibiki, watching her intently. At first, she seemed to struggle, she shook from her efforts. Suigetsu reached out to her but hesitated as she relaxed. She sat there for a minute, calm and still.

Then her nose dripped blood, large and fat drops fell in increasing speed from both nostrils. Her ears becoming full, her body convulsed.

As soon as it started, Suigetsu shook her.

"Stop Hibiki!" he begged. He watched her become pale, then her eye snapped open, she was using her Front vision.

"Aggggggg," she screams in frustration. Pushing Suigetsu out of the way she Quickly got a piece of paper and begins to work.

Her eye moved rapidly with her hand, she drew quickly and aggressively. Sasuke looked at the paper and sees her drawing a detailed map to the Kage summit, its exact location in the Land of Iron. She lifts her hand from the page shaking, before falling over, her eyes squeezed shut, her breathing labored. Suigetsu catches her, holding her close and feeling her head, her temperature had increased. Karin and Juugo got the futon out and Suigetsu laid Hibiki in it.

"She's getting too hot, Suigetsu use your clammy ass hand as a compress, for now, Juugo and I will go and get some supplies and stronger medication," Karin ordered, tying her hair in a ponytail and running out with Juugo on her heels.

Suigetsu did as Karin instructed and kept his hand on her forehead. He stared at Hibiki, guilt, worry, and fear filled him.

Surprisingly Sasuke brought over some water and a rag and helped clean her face and ears of blood, he glanced up to see Suigetsu glaring daggers.

"Even if I tried to stop her, Hibiki would have snuck out and looked by herself. It was the safer of the only two options." Sasuke told Suigetsu.

"Why didn't you use the damn Sharingan to stop her?" Suigetsu demanded.

"She's blind, visual genjutsu has no effect on her," Sasuke stated.

Sasuke finished cleaning her face, he put the bloody water and rag to the side and stood. He quietly walked over to look at the map Hibiki had made.

The maps detailed route would get them to the Land of Iron faster. A few days tops. Running on mostly flat terrain and away from areas where animals could cause problems. She even added locations of all the different villages route for the Kage's to their shared destination.

Hibiki seemed to think of everything Sasuke would have wanted.

...

After a few hours Hibiki woke up, her head throbbed and burned, she felt queasy and shaky. As she starts to sit up, a hand gently stops her, guiding her back down.

"I need to… get up." she struggled.

"You've done enough Hibiki," Suigetsu coldly orders.

"I have to go on, everything is moving and changing. That damn Madara did this on fucking purpose and I know it. I missed such a big event that changed so much. Everything has shifted, I can't let that happen again. I need to know." Hibiki begged.

"No," he stated, she stayed still and groaned. Suigetsu sighed in frustration, when Karin and Juugo returned and gave her the stronger medication, Karin had done an assessment of her condition. Noticing her fever was dangerously high, and Hibiki had Anemia. She lost too much blood, within the last few days and she wasn't making enough to compensate. She sighed in frustration, Hibiki was killing herself.

Hibiki had labored breathing as she slept, shaking slightly with each intake. Karin placed a cold compress to her forehead and wrote down things she needed. Standing and leaving. Sasuke left to check some locations Hibiki had marked on the map she drew, he wasn't sure why they were marked, and he couldn't ask her. Juugo sat with Suigetsu for a while before leaving to get food for everyone.

"Hibiki honey you're killing yourself. And you know it. Please stop." he said taking her hand and feeling her forehead.

"I hate this. I feel so anxious," Hibiki told him in a dry voice.

"I know." He told her, petting her head. "Do you want water?" he asked, she nodded, and he helped her sit up. After she had enough, he helped her back down. Hibiki's body felt so heavy, she couldn't even lift her head. She was useless.

"Right, now please rest. I won't leave you, so don't worry." Suigetsu soothed her. As she frowns at him, Suigetsu leaned over her and pressed his forehead against Hibiki's taking both her hands, one in each.

"You are a pain in my ass, you know that right." he teased, earning a small smile from her. She squeezes his hands. As she closed her eyes again, He brushed her hair away from her forehead and kissed her burning skin. It didn't take long for her to drift off.

…

Sasuke, Karin, and Juugo ate dinner silently at the small table. Suigetsu stayed next to Hibiki. When she woke up, she was fed and giving more of her stronger medication.

Karin took Hibiki's hand and smiled sadly at her, "Hibiki, I need to give you some blood. You've lost too much in such a short time. I need to use a needle to get the IV in. ok?" Karin told her, remembering her panic the last time a needle was put in her. She calmly nodded ever so slightly. Karin quickly gave her a blood transfusion, the color in her face returning as the bag drained into her body.

Hibiki had fallen asleep again before Karin was done.

"She looks better." Karin sighed in relief, standing and disposing of their trash.

…

It was late, the air felt still and Suigetsu snored next to her. Slowly she struggled to sit up, her body still too heavy. Finding Suigetsu on the floor next to her, she woke him. He was groggy and mostly asleep but was awake enough to help Hibiki move him into the futon with her. Once he was on it, he fell asleep again, his snoring returning.

Hibiki laid with him, gently caressing his face.

Soon after turning away from Suigetsu, she stayed in bed and faced who she knew was Sasuke.

"You're, here aren't you?" she asks. Sasuke reaches out and taps her head to show her his presence.

"Hibiki. What does young crystal mean?" Sasuke asked. Hibiki hesitated and sighed,

"I thought you'd come asking," she whispered. "Your pretty nosy Sasuke."

"Your hiding something important, aren't you?" Sasuke accused, "This isn't the time to be covering shit up."

Hibiki turned to lay on her back, under the blanket taking Suigetsu's hand, his cool skin was soothing to her burning body

"The name Omoikane," she flinched at the name, "is a cursed one. It brings nothing but hardship and death. The name cannot be spoken out loud without bringing danger. So Crystal is a way of regarding us without using the actual name. Not many people know about the nickname, so it can be used in general conversation." she whispered.

"Crystal is a stupid nickname I know, it comes from the first Hokage actually, He knew my great -grandmother and she was eccentric." she grimaced. "She hid in plain sight, presented herself as a fortune teller, a really bad one. She put on a show, calling to the spirits and making a bunch of bullshit noises, she had a crystal ball and everything. For some reason, she told the First Hokage who she was, the truth. He just started calling her 'the old crystal'." she continued.

"When Madara calls me 'Young crystal' he is implying that he knows I am very inexperienced. Which I am."

"My mother was the one to teach me, but she wasn't a clan member. My father was, and he died before I was old enough to learn. Those before me were taught how to completely control their visions. They still had weaknesses like blind spots but they were far more talented. I heard a rumor that some could even look into the past." she explained.

Sasuke pondered this for a moment before asking, "How much do you know of Madara's plans?"

"Very little. He is blurring my visions somehow, planning without planning, acting without acting. But to be honest I can easily look past it, I could push through his efforts, but I'm scared to." she confessed.

"Are you scared of Madara?" he wondered.

"Yes, I get that sick feeling whenever he's near."

Sasuke was quite before reaching out and placing his hand on her head.

"Hibiki you are no longer useful to me, and I would leave you here, but the others would strongly oppose. You are no longer a tool of Taka," he said before returning to his own bed.

Hibiki smiled as she turned to face Suigetsu, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Suigetsu woke up to find himself in the futon with Hibiki, she slept with her head buried in his chest. How the hell this happened was beyond Suigetsu, but he wasn't complaining. He felt her forehead, it was cooler, but still too hot. He carefully pulled away from Hibiki and stood up. Karin and Juugo slept still, but Sasuke wasn't in his bed. Stepping outside he found Sasuke standing in front of the inn, watching the sky as dawn began to lighten the sky.

He walked over and stood next to him.

"You know how to get to the Land of Iron now?" he asked

"Yes, it will be a fast trip thanks to Hibiki," he replied. Suigetsu nodded.

"Are you leaving her? Considering she can't do much right now." he asked.

"She is no longer a tool of Taka," he said.

"Don't you care? She's sick because of us, of you!" Suigetsu glared.

"I did it because I care. I'm trying to convince her she no longer has any ties to Taka, so she has no reason to use her precognition for us." Sasuke frowned. "She isn't stupid, she knows why I kicked her out." he finished. Suigetsu signed and returned inside to wake the others.

Sasuke and Hibiki had a different kind of relationship, one Suigetsu was both confused and jealous of.

…

Karin carried Hibiki on her back, she was still far too weak, She could barly move on her own. She needed to be stationary, but Sasuke was not stalling his plans, and Karin wasn't going to leave Hibiki behind. She had woken Hibiki and gave her more of the stronger medication as well as some food. Hibiki was pissed, she didn't like being doted on like this, but her arms didn't listen to her, and couldn't lift them high enough to feed herself.

The next 3 days were spent running, they moved along the path Hibiki had given them. She was awake for most of the trip but was still exhausted.

They crossed the ocean for a few miles the came to the Land of Iron. The air was icy, and a few feet of thick snow covered the ground. Flakes were still falling from the sky.

"Fuck it's cold." Suigetsu complained.

"Maybe if you wore sleeves you wouldn't be so cold, dumbass." Karin snapped.

"Well, this weather suits you, Karin, Icy weather for an Icy Bitch." Suigetsu retorted. They continued to bark insults at each other until they came to a small village. They stopped a few miles outside.

"Karin, leave Hibiki in the village," Sasuke ordered. She nodded and hurried to an inn in the village. It was a small 3 story building; Karin got a room on the second floor. It was small but warm and out of the wind. Karin worked quickly putting Hibiki in the futon and leaving all her medication with her.

"Alright Hibiki, this bottle is for your fever, take it with food, 3 drops in a glass of water, I've informed the Inn owner that you need help and paid a little extra to get her to help. So, don't move around on your own." Karin instructed. "Don't look for us, no matter how long it takes. I will come back Hibiki," Karin promised. Hibiki nods. As Karin left Hibiki to rejoin the group, Suigetsu snuck inside.

"Hibiki?" he asks. Hibiki struggled to sit up, she managed to slowly move, but it left her exhausted. She looked to his voice.

"Suigetsu, aren't you supposed to be with Sasuke?" she asked.

"Yeah, Juugo is using the animals to find a way inside the castle. I have some time," he said, sitting next to her.

"Why are you here?" she wondered.

"Well first to get your promise you won't use your precognition to check in on us." he frowned caressing her face.

"To be honest I probably wouldn't be able to see anything if I tried." Hibiki sighed.

"Still, we will be fine so don't worry," he demanded. He leaned over and kissed Hibiki's forehead. "I'll be back soon, and as much as it pains me to say it, listen to Karins instructions. I scared the owner with some mild threats and told him to make sure you are kept safe, even from yourself." he said, "Plus I got the bribe money," He added with a smiled. He laid Hibiki back in bed before standing and quickly leaving.

Once alone Hibiki touched her forehead. It was hot to the touch, her hands felt like ice on her. She hid her hands under the blanket as she rolled onto her side and closed her eyes. She waited.

She could hear people outside, and downstairs. She listened to the people talk, trying to figure out what they were saying. There was laughing and cheerful chatter. Hibiki named each murmured voice, the mom, the dad, the younger brother, the big sister, the grandma, the aunt. She listens to them, imagining what they looked like and what they did.

The mom and dad were madly in love, the grandma was a gambling addict who played with her grandkids. The little brother was going in and out, playing with friends. The older sister had a secret boyfriend, and the aunt was having an affair with a neighbor's husband.

Hibiki imagined the smiles, the cries, their happy moment and their saddest moments. But this did nothing to help her anxiety, she turned over and over in the futon, never able to get to sleep...

 _I can't look, if I use my foresight right now, I could die_

 _But they failed with Bee, nearly dying. What if..._

 _No Suigetsu promised to return. He promised…_

 _Suigetsu can only do so much, Juugo and Karin, even Sasuke had their limits._

 _What if_

 _Don't even think about it!_

 _What if… they._

 _Don't think about it!_

 _What if Suigetsu never comes back?_

Shaking in fear and anxiety, Hibiki turned onto her back and against her better judgment closed her eyes and furrowed her brow. Inside the river it was blurry, it was like Karin's vision without her glasses. But she was able to find the team using their voices to distinguish each blob from each other. Hibiki watched the team infiltrate the castle, watched them be betrayed by white Zetsu, she watched them fight with the terrifying Raikage….

Snapping her eyes open she stood, adrenaline filling her blood, and moved to the door but collapsed before she could take a step, as she fell, she vomited blood. The sounds in the room became distant.


	24. Chapter 23: Land of Iron

**Chapter 23 Land of Iron**

 **AN: This is after Suigetsu and Juugo get captured by the samurai, I won't be showing the fight between Sasuke, the Raikage and the rest of Taka.**

The Iron bars slammed shut with a loud metallic bang that vibrated the air. I turned to find a moldy old bed on the right and a toilet in the left corner.

"Great." I groaned. Sitting on the bed it creaked loudly and dipped in far,

 _Might as well sleep on the floor, be just as comfortable._ I thought sourly.

"Hey, Juugo!" I called out moving back to the bars locking me in, confined me, trapped me.

"Yes, I'm right next to you," Juugo answered from my right. As two guards pass, we shut up and wait for the damn samurai to leave earshot.

"How the hell do we get out of here," I whispered to him.

"There are too many guards, so we can't just bust our way out," Juugo told me. "Couldn't you turn into a liquid state and go through the sewage pipe?" he asked.

"There is no fucking way I'm doing that." I glared.

"Then we wait for a bit, think up a different idea," Juugo said.

Uggggg, sit and wait? Not my choice of plans, especially when I am confined like this, reminds me too much of the time I spent under Orochimaru's control. I hate being under someone's thumb.

I slammed my back to the shared wall on my left and slid down the wall and sat on the floor. I looked up at the ceiling and let my mind drift for a moment.

 _Hibiki._

"How long have we been gone?" I called to Juugo behind me.

"About 5 hours, worried about Hibiki?" He asked.

"If we don't get back to her soon, she will search for us if she hasn't already." I sighed.

"She isn't capable of helping us now, she is far too sick." Juugo reminded me.

"I know, but that won't stop her from trying. She'd rather die than do nothing." I told him, my hands rubbing my face before falling useless into my lap.

"She is quite compassionate when she wants to be." Juugo agreed.

 _Hibiki…._ I thought _, Please stay away. I'm coming for you I promise._

Man, it would be nice to telepathically call to her. I wouldn't have to worry as much. Hell, it would reduce my stress at least 60%. Being able to know she was safe at any given time she's away from my side. I couldn't help but smile to myself, thinking of Hibiki usually did that to me. And I was glad my face wasn't seen by others. I'm sure it had a goofy ass look.

Her short stature barely reaching my shoulders, I liked the way she had to turn her face up towards me. Her hair was always soft, and often in disarray now that it was shorter. While I do like her short hair, I liked it more when it was longer. Suited her more. I liked how messy it would get in the morning, how it swept off her neck in the wind.

Her pale eyes, they looked dead to me at first, but now I can clearly see all her emotions behind the blank stare. The joy, the excitement, the sadness, the fear, the concern, the affection. I wish I was the only one capable of seeing them, but I'm sure Karin and Sasuke saw through her blank stare too.

She's changed me, or at least a small part of me. I never imagined anything beyond regrouping the Seven Swordsmen, especially after my brother died. It's my only interest really. Everything else is boring, mundane. My only entertainment being cutting shit up, be it the limbs and heads of my prey, or the relationship between Karin and Sasuke. Not that they were even in a relationship. I enjoy the way blood flowed out of a corpse, and the way they would beg for their lives before losing their limbs one at a time, then at the end of their lives, bleeding out, sever their head.

But now I can't seem to see my life without Hibiki being close by. She made waking up interesting, she made eating interesting, she made life interesting.

 _Fuck what's wrong with me._

When I was with her, the thrill of chopping off people's limbs and beheading them became boring. Maybe that wasn't quite the right word, but if I had a choice between being with Hibiki and chopping limbs, I'd choose Hibiki. Although with her not around the only entertaining idea was violence and lots of blood.

We sat in silence for a while, listening to the guard's indistinguishable chatter. They passed by our cells in groups of two every 60 seconds or so. Each group round of the cells was perfectly spaced, another team never too far away. I probably could take everyone down, but I needed a sword. I wouldn't be as proficient at the job without one and would probably get captured again.

"We might be here a while," Juugo commented.

"Yeah," I agreed.

That night I laid on my back on the floor with the blanket over me, I could hear the other prisoner's bicker and chatter now. Juugo and I were separated from the rest. It's a good idea, considering I would use their bodies as shields to escape. The samurai get points for sensing the malicious intent radiating off me.

I closed my eyes, but sleep evaded me. Instead I thought about Hibiki, she could die. Hell, she would die if we don't return soon. I began to plan my escape, taking joy in the thought of chopping those samurai in half.

...

One week, it's been one week!

Hibiki would have definitely tried to find us by now, and she was definitely going to collapse from using her foresight. What the hell do I do? I paced my cell biting the nail on my thumb. She needed someone with her. Maybe Karin got to her. Yeah Karin wouldn't leave Hibiki like that. Unless she followed Sasuke. The bastard had kicked Hibiki out of Taka, making her disposable. Of course, I would leave her behind if I had a choice. But fuck I don't have the choice now!

Juugo must have sensed my emotions because he called me over,

"You're going to get grey hair if you worry like this," he told me.

"My hair is already white, so who the fuck cares?" I snapped.

"You know what I mean. Stress will bring you closer to death." he fixed his words.

"How the hell are you so calm? Aren't you worried?" I asked.

"Of course, I am. But I know stressing over it will do nothing. Besides the calmer I am the more control I have." Juugo told me.

"Ghaaaaaaa," I screamed.

"You need a distraction," Juugo said mostly to himself. "Why don't we talk for a while, get your mind in a different place?" Juugo asked.

"Fuck whatever," I told him sitting in the corner, closest to Juugo.

"So how are you holdin' up Juugo?" I asked.

"I'm alright, I've been keeping myself calm. My last outburst must have got it out of my system, for now at least." he replied.

"I would suggest we use your transformation to escape but you'd probably kill me too." I snickered.

"I wouldn't get past all the guards. I don't think very well when I'm like that, can't drive myself to one place well, especially if it's farther away." he explained.

"So were both useless right now huh?" I asked back.

"Well you could go through the…"

"I told you there is no fucking way I'm going through the sewers to escape." I yelled.

"Alright alright." he laughed.

My anger turned to a frown on my face, "I probably wouldn't get far through the pipes," I whispered.

I couldn't say I didn't think about using the sewers, especially with Hibiki so close yet out of reach. But I'm not hydrated enough to make it out in liquid form.

"What now?" I asked.

"20 questions?" Juugo suggested.

"Yeah fine." I agreed.

Our game of 20 questions went on for a while, we spent a few days playing to keep us distracted. When that game became boring, we moved on to 'would you rather', we got a few laughs out of each other, that went on.

Being imprisoned was easier when you had company, time went by quicker.

Every day we would wake up, eat, discuss escape plans, then play question games. How long has it been? My sense of time sucks.

Even with Juugo doing his best to distract me, it didn't work. Hibiki was always on my mind.

Was she ok? Was she dead? Was she sick? What the hell do I do. I'm so useless, I'm always useless to her. She seems to be saving my ass more than me saving hers. Have I saved her? Have I done anything to help her? I guess there were a few times, but anyone could have taken my place. Sasuke, Karin, they could have done what I did. I want to see her.

She invades my dreams too. Some had me chasing after her, some walking with her, and a few that left me half hard when I woke up.

"How long has it been," I asked after dinner one night.

"Three weeks." Juugo answered, frustration in voice.

"Fuck." I agreed.

Why was I so useless, how the hell do I get out of here with so many damn guards? How do I get to Hibiki? Was she alive? Was she hurt? My chest hurt.

Juugo punched a wall, "It's been three weeks 4 days." he growled.

"You alright man?" I asked.

"No, my patience is gone, my anger is returning." he growled, "Distract me, I don't want to turn and accidentally kill you."

"Alright, geez what else is there, I swear we've gone through every subject possible." I realized.

"Anything let's talk about something else." he begged, his voice growing deeper and darker.

Was there anything about Juugo I wanted to know about? Not really, I've come to like the guy but knowing personal….

"That night, after you joined us. You and Hibiki spoke about something? What was it?" I blurted out.

"Did you ask Hibiki?" his voice strained.

"Yeah and she told me it was none of my business. Pissed me off." Juugo cackled and I could feel his tension came down.

"She is very tight lipped. Very good at keeping secrets, that's probably why Sasuke trusts her so much." he thought aloud.

"Chhhh, damn Sasuke, anyway are you going to tell me or not?" I demanded.

"I don't see why not," his voice slowly returned to normal.

"I guess to begin there was a guy named Kimimaro, he was my best friend. It seems Hibiki also knew him well. She told me Kimimaro helped her when she was lost, taught her a lot. He was priceless to her." he paused. "You see Kimimaro was sent by Orochimaru and a few others to get Sasuke. Hibiki had warned Orochimaru they would most likely all die. She secretly warned Kimimaro about his death. How he would live if he stayed at the hideout. It was very shocking to Hibiki for him actively choosing to take a path that killed him, it was 'eye-opening' as she described it. Before he left, she showed Kimimaro a vision of the future, a goodbye gift." he glumly explained.

"I don't know if this is too much information for you but, I truly loved Kimimaro and he loved me as well. We never told each other, but after meeting Hibiki I learned he felt the exact same way as me. I didn't understand where Kimimaro went, I knew he died, and I know it had to do with Sasuke, but the details were kept from me. I often wondered what being together would be like. Hibiki had 'saved?' the memory of the future she showed Kimimaro. She explained it to me but, I didn't really understand her, she was speaking too fast." he explained.

"Yeah she talks faster when she's nervous." I agreed.

"Anyway, She showed my life with Kimimaro, she skipped over some parts but she showed me what Kimimaro saw. Then she showed me a possible future, one where I was living away from Orochimaru and was in control of himself. A future I want." he smiled to himself.

"Why did she blush then?" I asked, remembering the blush on her cheeks and the smile on her face.

"She showed me 'with Kimimaro' do you want further?" he asked.

"No no, I get it!" I yelled. Wasn't expecting that. I guess she would blush, kind of weird to show someone else having sex.

Does she blush like then when she's...?

Fuck no don't go there now!

"Hibiki has become very important to me, she is a living reminder that anything is possible. That I could have a normal happy life, she often makes me feel, normal, like my life wasn't so screwed up." he concluded, "So what about you Suigetsu?" he asked.

"What about me?" I retorted.

"I told you about how I perceive Hibiki, now it's your turn." he pushed.

I groaned, if I was going to talk to anyone about this, I guess Juugo was the best of my options.

"When we were younger, she came to the hideout I was kept in, she was there for three months, she always visited me. She was annoying at first, but as we spoke more, she became a ray of hope. After not seeing her for a while, I figured Orochimaru killed her, so she became a good memory." I chattered.

"When she showed up with Sasuke I was surprised to see her. She was annoying at first, we'd hit each other every so often, but she was fun to talk to. She is a pain in my ass, but I liked having her around. When the fire happened, we looked each other in the eyes for the first time. I could tell she saw me, and I guess you can say that's the moment when I knew I wasn't leaving her." I blushed, glad Juugo couldn't see my dumbass looking face.

"You love her." he stated. My face was on fire, "Well it's not, I mean we, I don't…" I stumbled over my words. His loud laughter filled his cell and overflowed into mine,

"Shut up!" I yelled back.

"Have you kissed her yet?" he snickered. I felt so stupid, we were acting like 9-year old's talking like this.

"No, you dumbasses kept getting in the damn way!" I snapped. We both sat for a moment, in empty silence. Then we both burst into laughter. As we calmed down, he sighed,

"You should do it sooner rather than later, I missed my chance to kiss Kimimaro, so don't miss yours." he advised.

"Geez I won't, can we change the topic now!" I asked.

"Sure, the guards seem to have decreased. I waited and counted the rounds of men." Juugo pointed out.

"Your right. Enough to bust out?" I asked

"Maybe we'd have to fight still." he speculated.

As I was replying, loud noises and crashing could be heard. The other guards ran to the commotion leaving one in front of us…

I smiled and stood at the bars, I smiled at him as he passed, then I began to liquify.


	25. Chapter 24: Fears hold

**Chapter 24 Fears hold**

 **AN: I finally finished! This is so much better than the original version. Thanks for your patient's guys and I'll see you Monday! Ps. this is a big exposition chapter, like an information dump. Sorry.**

My eyes flutter open, I feel comfortable. I was in a warm soft futon and I hear a nearby window with chattering birds. The sun's rays came into the room and touched my face. As I woke up, I hear some other noise, movement, creaking from the floor, was someone else in the room?

I slowly sit up, yawning and carefully stretching. My body was a little stiff from sleep, but it was much lighter. My body moved with ease; I was a bit achy but better. My head wasn't throbbing, and it didn't burn like before.

"Suigetsu?" I called out to the room.

"Ah, your awake good, good." a croaky voice answered. This was not Suigetsu, or anyone I knew for that matter. It sounded old, tired and nasally. I was startled when a wrinkly hand takes mine and feels my pulse, then feels my forehead.

"Much better," he sighed in relief, "The last few days were quite tough, thought you might die, you almost did. But here you are."

"I was looking for, oh god," I bolt up onto my feet, my memory of Suigetsu and Juugo being imprisoned hit me hard. They needed help, as I begin to move a hard-thin object blocked my way.

"You're better, but you can't leave yet." the voice informed.

"Why not? Wait, who are you?" I demanded.

"Now you ask, well then again your senses would have warned you of danger," the voice cackled.

"What?" I demanded, who the hell is this guy?

"Hibiki, I am Haruto, a crystal, like yourself." he introduced himself, taking my hand and guiding me back to the futon, leaving me to sit with him.

"Crystal..." I trailed off.

"Yes, I am a crystal,"

"Prove it… that we are the same." I demanded.

"Alrighty," he agreed, He then leaned into my ear and recited a poem mother use to read to me from the book.

Sound of sorrow calls us forward

Pain and horror follow our name

To the future we look, From the past we hide

Like the sparrow we fly

"So, you are…" I gasped. Another?

"Yes, I am," he confirmed again.

"What are you doing here? How are you here?" I blurted out, my thoughts raced, so many questions filled me, all wanting to be answered at once.

"You will get answers but first some tea," he said before disappearing, I heard him rummage around for a moment and when he returned, he took my hand and placed a cup into it,

"Got it?" he asked,

"Yes," I said. I held the warm cup in my hands and took a sip. It was bitter, but it wasn't bad.

"It's Kuding, it will help." he said, sipping. We sat together in silence, the only sound coming from our sipping. After a few minutes he sighed in contentment.

"Now one question at a time," he instructed.

"I thought to keep our clan from spreading… I thought that I was the last one."

"I am Infertile. Born that way. Can't have children no matter what." he stated.

"So, you can't make more," I confirmed

"Exactly. So, I had no reason to commit 'the act'" he replied.

"Why are you here," I asked next.

"You were never given proper instruction, I am here to do so," he replied.

"Why now? Why not when I was a kid?" I asked.

"I'm old, takes time to get places and I ain't fast. This was the soonest I could get to you." he laughed.

"You could have gotten others to help you." I accused.

"Then they would know your location my dear."

"But I mean..." I started.

"I am here now, that's what matters." he hushed me.

"Alright, fine, so what are you going to teach me?" I wondered.

"Everything you need to know to live a better life."

Haruto was a kind old man, he was not the best conversationalist, but that was ok. He insisted on waiting a few days before beginning with my 'special' training, he wanted me to be a little stronger. He was a cautious man, he told I would need all my strength to get through this. Haruto and I sat in the hotel room, sitting across from each other, close but not touching. We spoke with soft voices. He never spoke loudly, his nasally voice like a whisper.

"First things first, you need to understand the very fundamentals. The rules we have placed on ourselves. Rules important to live by." he asserted. He paused and let me absorb this.

"The future shouldn't be controlled or manipulated." he sternly said.

"But my mom told me to use my precognition to survive? Is that not the purpose of it? To change the future?" I asked.

"Your mother told you to stay alive, and you had to manipulate your future to do so." he said.

"The future is very hard to control, and it is not easily understood. It is not our place to control it directly. Our clan was founded on keeping the earth alive and that is all. It is not our place to control man, it is no one's place to control man." he said.

"I'm a little fuzzy on the details, our exact knowledge on the subject was in our clan's sacred text. However, it is said our eldest ancestor is to have lived on the moon and to have had 'absolute sight' which is the ability to see past, present and future. After a big argument, they came to earth, Over the years our 'absolute sight' became less powerful and now it is only precognition. Maybe less powerful isn't the right word, more like we became too weak to use it. We don't have enough chakra or physical strength to use it at full capacity. That's why you got so sick, your precognition took too much of your chakra and it ate away at your body. The more frequently it is used, and if used for an extensive amount of time, the more it takes from you." he explained.

"So, when I push myself, I'm overextending, using too much chakra too fast," I said.

"Yes, exactly. It all depends on how much chakra a clan member has. We both have very little compared to shinobi. The medicine I gave you helped replenish your chakra, but your body is still suffering the effects." he told me.

"Haruto, are there more? How many of us remain?"

"It's just you and me kid, but I'm not long for this world. Got real old and my body is ready to set my soul free." he cheerfully explained.

"How much longer?" I worried.

"Don't worry about that Hibiki, Now let's begin your basic training," he said. He reached for me and had me stand up, he took my arm, dragging me along with him out the door. We went outside of the hotel, into the street, and out the village gates. He then proceeded to show me his cane. It was used to find objects and obstacles in front of you as you walked. It was weird and felt unnatural. But He showed me how to properly use it, how to navigate the world better. I couldn't help but think of Kimimaro.

That night, Haruto was granted use of the kitchen in the hotel, (it seemed like he smoothed over Suigetsu's threats) and he taught me to cook. He showed me how to navigate a kitchen and to use my sense of smell and touch to know what I was using. I told him stories about the garden I loved as a kid. He told me my mother was smart, teaching me to be independent. We made dinner for the hotel owners and us, and after we ate, he returned us to our room.

We drank more kuding tea and rested in silence. This went on for a few more long days. During the day he showed me how to count money, and how to shop in the village market. He had me walk through the village and in the surrounding area using his cane. At night I cooked, he gave me less instruction each day, letting me learn through action. He taught me how to live the life I was given.

By the third week, I was deemed strong enough to learn more about my precognition. My body had its strength back, I felt healthy and normal. I hadn't realized how tired I had been, traveling so much took a lot more out of me than I had thought.

He took me up a hill outside of the village. At the top was a large dead tree, we sat at its base in the snow facing each other. I could feel our breaths in the freezing air. The crisp morning felt good.

It reminded me of when I was a kid,

One morning my mother stayed home, and we played in the snow together. We made a snowman and snow angles. We caught flakes on our tongues, and I showed her my cartwheels and flips. She would sound so proud of me. Haruto cleared his throat, grabbing my attention.

"I come from a place beyond the Land of Earth, a small country that is very secluded from the ninja world. I was the first and only child of my parents, and my father left when I was very young. I suppose that's one of many things we have in common, growing up with a single parent. I was taught by my mother, a crystal herself. A good woman, she earned a living as a potter, the village we lived in was small, but traders passed through it often. We were never wealthy but never hungry either. As our clan mandates, she committed 'the act' when I was 12. As I got older, I met quite a few talented people and learned many things from them. How to fight for example. When I was in my 40's I met your grandmother, she was a talented woman. She was going around and sealing clan members precognition away, to prevent the spread of it. Once she found out I was impotent, we agreed I could keep my foresight. Then she asked me to join her to find other clansmen, and we sealed the ability away." he told me.

"It can be sealed?" I smiled,

"Yes, your grandmother had spent much of her life in Uzushiogakure to create the seal. She had foreseen something that scared her, a large threat to humanity and decided to take action. Anyway, after the sealing, you would still be blind, but you could no longer see the future. No longer enter Kami's room."

"Wait, what's Kami's room?" I asked, confused.

"It's what the clansmen have called the void we enter to see the future." he calmly explained.

"Oh, so it did have a name." I thought aloud.

"Yes, and it always helps to have a name or word for something, its calming. To continue, many were thankful, some very upset. But we sealed everyone, which was about 13 people mind you, until it was just me and your grandmother. I refused the seal, just in case, just to keep watch. I was allowed this mostly due to my infertility. Your grandmother also wished to remain unsealed. I asked if she was going to have children. She said yes. I ask about our clansmen, the possible revival. She told me that she trusted her child to make the right choices. She tells me to leave it in fate's hand." he continued.

"Fate's hand?" I asked.

"It's something your grandmother often said, it means to let what happens, happen. To not know the future and to experience life as it comes. It was a good philosophy." he explained.

"So why did grandma keep her precognition?" I wondered

"She wouldn't tell me, she had important business to attend to is all she said," he told me.

"Wow." I breathed

"Yep now let's discuss..." he began to move on

"Wait! How much have you seen? How much do you know about the future?" I begged.

"What I need to. I knew that you would need me here now." he summarized.

"What about the future of others, what grandma worried about?" I asked concerned.

"Don't care, don't look, everything that can be done without disrupting humanity has been done. So, I just lived." he said.

 _Grandmother, what had she seen?_

After that we returned to the hotel, we were both freezing by then, the crisp feeling became a horrible bone chilling air. Haruto being so old, grew tired quickly, his bones would ache sometimes and so our lessons were sometimes very short. We took hot baths to warm ourselves.

The next day, he took me outside again, we returned to the same hill. Snow had fallen the previous night, so the snow was deeper. At the top we cleared some snow away and sat on the frosty earth, my ass froze.

"As you now know I am here to give you proper instruction, and knowledge. Your mother did well, she did what she could to protect you. But now it's time you see for yourself. Close your eyes and take my hand Hibiki." I reach out and take his hand. I opened my eyes to find myself in kami's room, with the river of time flowing before me. I turn and see Haruto.

Inside kami's room, we had our sight, we could see the future and we could see each other, two embodiments of our souls in the abyss. He was very old; his hair was receding, and the top of his head was exposed. He also sported a mustache and beard, white and full. Each line on his face represented a decade. There were so many I couldn't count them all. But the more I looked at him, the more I recognized him. I could see myself in his features.

"We look alike." I smiled. He smiled too and laughed gleefully.

"You think so? We have a few similarities for sure, but you look exactly like your grandmother." he smiled.

"Is that a good thing?"

"Hahaha yes, I suppose it is." he teased.

We remained in silence for a short time, simply seeing another Omoikane felt securing. To have someone just like me. To have real family again. My heart squeezed; I wouldn't have this much longer. I'll be alone again soon.

"Can you see why we are so dangerous in groups, being able to connect in kami's room like this has many advantages," he explained.

"Yeah, with enough people you could search the future a lot faster." I agreed. He nodded.

"Now what do you see?" he asked looking forward.

"What do you mean? You see it, too don't you?" I worried.

"Just describe what's in front of you," he ordered.

"A river, the river of time," I said.

"A river huh? I suppose it can be, not a strange way of manifesting," he said mostly to himself.

"What do you mean? What is it then," I asked.

"Kami's room is presented differently to everyone, you see a river, I see a tree, your grandmother said hers was like a puzzle box. Kami's room manifests in a way that the user understands," he explained.

"Huh. so, what is it made of? The river, or tree, or whatever." I asked.

"Energy." he simplified.

"Energy?"

"Yes, the will and life force of everything, of every rock, of every person, each blade of grass. This is the collective energy that moves time. You see everything contributes to the movement of time; everything has this energy that is present here." he explained.

"So, time is made and moved by the collective innate energy inside everything, So if I move a rock, our energies interact and move the river," I questioned.

"That's the gist yes. It's very complicated, my mother had a hard time explaining it, so now I do too." He sighs. "Right. Now we go deeper." he smiled.

"Deeper?"

"I want you to look again Hibiki. This time without seeing," he instructed.

"What?" I asked turning to him.

"Focus on the river and feel it. Instead of using your eyes." he clarified. I looked back at the river and relaxed. Letting my eyes close and allowing myself to be vulnerable to the environment of kami's room.

Then a sound, a soft sound far away, barely audible. The soft sound was moving closer, slowly it intensified and grew louder and closer. Then I could feel a vibration. The softest of tremors that grew in intensity too. The vibration hums around me, I can feel it, it's like endless strings connecting everything to everything else.

"What do you see now," Haruto asked,

"A heartbeat. I never knew this existed," I said astonished.

"This Hibiki this the 'heart' as you said, of the world. This is how living things interconnect. This is combined with the energy that moves time and creates life."

"So, the river is the flow of life force, but this heartbeat is the events?" I said to him. He nodded

"That's right. But it's a bit more complicated than that. Think of each person as a string that helps create the beat. Each string for each living thing. All tangled together, each string is complex, it's very much the metaphorical representation of them. Actions with thought, intent, can be easily seen in the river because it's the fastest moving element of a person. Emotions are far slower but are a powerful force, one that drives humans. Even erratic ones, on the surface, they are erratic, sudden, random, but underneath emotions are the driving force." he explained.

"However, understanding someone's emotions can be very hard, thus seeing their future as a blind spot," he said.

"Can I find a specific person?" I wondered

"If you want to waste your damn life. That thing is a mess, I tried to find someone once, opened my eyes and was nearly dead! Your body still needs keeping, don't have the time to hunt through it." he laughed. "This is the true key to the future Hibiki. You watched the surface and the surface is wishy-washy. This builds and is predictable, easier to read but impossible to find a single person. If you know why someone acts, you know how they act. Understand." he said turning to me.

"Yes. So how does our power change the future?" I asked.

"Well first by taking intentional and thought out actions that lead down a certain event. So, by talking to a specific stranger at a specific time, the future would flow down that path." he shrugged. "This is a very basic form though and can easily be changed."

"I know." I grimaced.

"Now the dangerous part, if there are enough of us together, we could sort through the heartbeat, find an individual, and change them. Even gain complete and absolute control of them.

"Wow, how many crystals would you need to do that." I wondered.

"At the very least 5, but that is a stretch, to have perfect immediate control, about 50." he guessed.

"This is why everyone commits suicide, to prevent others from abusing our abilities." I sighed.

"Not just from others Hibiki, people of our own become obsessed with the future, with its manipulation. You are on the road to becoming like that," he warned.

"I would never!" I yelled.

"If you could change one person's actions who would it be," he asked.

"Well this kid Naruto is annoying, very erratic," I complained.

"The feeling of controlling others is like an infection, you do it once, and you won't be able to stop," he warned. He held my eyes for a long time.

Then we opened our eyes back in the real world. Our dark reality.

We returned to the hotel walking in silence, I thought over my actions, of my intentions and feelings, and in the inn we sit across from each other, drinking tea.

I've been watching the future for so long.

I sighed "My precognition is addictive, I need to look, it's an impulse now," I admitted.

"It's alright my dear, you can still change, I could seal it away now if you wished." he offered.

"No! Not now!" I begged.

"Then someday you will?" he questioned.

"Maybe," I answered.

"Then gradually work on it, Hibiki from now on you need to close the future off, don't look for a few hours, then days, then weeks and so on," he said.

"I don't know if I can." I worried.

"It will be hard to change your habits. But you will feel better when you do. The point is you will learn to address problems as they come. Besides life's more fun that way." he laughed.

"I, I'll try," I promised.

Haruto woke me up early, we quickly dressed and climbed the hill again.

"I'm not long for this world Hibiki, and you live in a violent one. Normally we would train for years, in all these subjects. You are getting the summarized versions. And in that sense, I want to give you something."

"What?" I asked

"Have you shared a vision of the future before?" he inquired.

"Yeah,"

"Wow, that's a complex task to learn on your own. I'm proud." I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Thanks." I blushed. I wasn't used to being praised.

"Now we can share others only what their lives intel right? That's due to our ability being a kekkei genkai. We can connect and share without issue because we both possess the kekkei genkai." his voice became careful.

"Where is this going?" I began to worry.

"Hibiki have you ever lived a life that was not your own?" He asked delicately.

"Yeah, it was terrifying, I can still feel it lurking on me." I said softly. My heart squeezed painfully. The shadows of scars prickled on my skin.

"I'm sorry, it isn't a good feeling." he consoled me. Taking my hand in his and patting it.

"So, what happened? What was that?" I asked, I could feel the panic raise from my stomach. Hesitantly Haruto spoke, "Well, chakra is a powerful thing, we can place pieces of ourselves in others. Normally this is a hard task and isn't commonly used. Normal people may have a dream or a vision, depending on how well the chakra was sealed. Easily forgotten if they wished. When a chakra is implanted in us, we experience something very different. We are forced in a way, to relive the entirety of the others life, their chakra passing memories and feelings. We can never forget. Not really. That's an entire lifetime, you become them in a way, but you have no control. Living 30 - 40 years as someone else is damaging. And what is worse is we wake up to our own bodies confused scared, but very little has changed. A day or two may have passed, yet our minds are 40 years older than before."

Tears dripped from my eyes. "I can sometimes feel the scalpels running down my skin, my stomach feeling like it's horribly scarred with cut marks. I sometimes even see his wife in my dreams or maybe our wife? And I remember loving her, and I remember the devastation of her death. It is unsettling." I admitted.

"Yes, I understand I have experienced this 3 times in my life. I feel much older than I am. Feeling like I've lived for too long. But I'm going to ask we use this to our advantage." he cautiously offered.

"What?" I demanded.

"I will give you my life, you will learn and know everything I know. I will only place the latter years of my life in you. You will be able to fight with a kunai, run on water, you will be better equipped for your world." he explained himself.

"Haruto I can't. Not again, I can't…" my body shook in fear.

"But you must. You need to save your friends, but you can't do that now. You need this Hibiki. It will be hard, but you will gain so much from it." he begged.

"Let me think about it." I compromised.

We sat on the hill for hours, I cried as I remember my second life, the other person I was. During the day, when I'm living my life, the memories feel more vague. It is pushed to the back of my mind.

We are connected now. We are like one person, at least to me.

Sasuke, he killed the man who punched me, who put chakra into me. Sasuke must have seen the foreign chakra in my body. It would have been too small for Karin to detect. Sasuke saw the difference, and he found its source. I'm not sure how much he knows about what happened, but he had an idea. It eased my mind a little to know I wasn't missing my second life, our story ended. Now the only life I have is Hibiki's. Mine.

I wish Suigetsu was here. I liked having him around. He made me forget, he made me feel normal. I found his laugh charming. A bit intoxicating. His laugh made me smile. I liked how soft his hair was, and I liked to play with it. When I wake up at night, my other life gripping me, my demons on my shoulders, his snore reminded me who I was. Where I was. It was loud and it kept me grounded. I like how he smelt fresh, like the scentless scent of water, slightly musky and a little like metal. I loved his water cold touch. While Karin called it clammy, I always found it soothing. He was never very warm, his hydration changed his body warmth, but I've never felt cold when I was in his arms. Only comforted. I missed how gently he touched me, like I was precious. He was rougher when we first met, now his touches are softer and caring. I missed his soft skin and his voice. I missed Suigetsu.

We arrived that morning, and now the sun was setting. Haruto has been sitting with me for hours. Quiet while I thought. It was kind of him, to stay with me. It was kind of him to come to me at all. The man saved my life, all while his is ending.

How much would I sacrifice for others? This question weighed heavy on me.

I was the cause of so many deaths. Of imprisonments. I was the one who gave Orochimaru his men. Anyone I introduced was my responsibility. I felt remorse, but not regret. I only cared for myself. I was here to keep me alive. That's my purpose. I had to live, for my mother, for the sacrifice of the Omoikane. But to be honest, I'm living because I'm alive. Death doesn't scare me; it feels welcoming at times. I was always lonely, trapped in chaos with only one way out. I didn't care about who I used to meet my ends. I was no different than Orochimaru. I'm not a good person.

I am forever scarred from saving Sasuke. My hands feel rough and the long burn mark on my stomach were silent reminders of the choice I made. I nearly died keeping them all safe. Sasuke, Karin, Juugo, Suigetsu. I had planned on committing 'the act' when I turned 19.

Things have changed. After that night, when I came back to my life, something changed.

I didn't know if this was how I was feeling. Or how he would feel. We were the same person for so long, his morals and beliefs were so different. Was this his influence? Had I changed because of him?

"Do you know who you are?" I asked Haruto.

"Yes, I do."

"When you lived your other lives, didn't they rub off on you? Become a part of you?"

"Yes, very much so."

"How do you know if what you want is your desire or theirs? Who I am now, is it really me?" I choked.

"Hibiki dear," he said turning me to face him, taking my hands.

"You are you, you were once one person, but now you are separate beings. You took some parts from him, and he took some parts from you. You changed because of them. People change, it's what makes us human. Those pieces are you, and you are your pieces. They came from him, but they no longer belong to him. He is not you. And you are not him. Do not let fear lead your life."

That night, I agreed. I was going to live another life to save my friends, to save myself. We sat together with his hand on my shoulder.

"You'll be here when I wake up right?" I asked.

"Yes, I will be, now Are you ready? It's a good 50 years of information. That's two straight days in real time." he warned me. I shook but took a deep breath, I needed to do this. I needed to escape fears hold on my life.

"Ok." I agreed. He then pressed his forehead to mine, within minutes I was no longer in the hotel, and I was no longer Hibiki.

...

Haruto wished to be buried on the hill we visited. We walked out there, and I dug the hole. When I found his shoulder to tell him I was done, he was already dead. I could feel the rising sun's warmth coming from the direction he faced. If he could see, I'm sure it would have been a beautiful last sight.

I buried him and marked his grave with rocks and stones, I was going to come back and give him a proper tombstone. I sat in front of his grave on my hands and knees. My third life lay dead under me.

I have died twice now; two lives had ended.

"Thanks, Haruto," I whispered. With my pack on my waist and the cane in my hands, I left Haruto's hill.


	26. Chapter 25: Grand Escape

**Chapter 25: Grand Escape**

Hibiki felt strong, confident. Haruto's life had been so full, he had learned to protect himself, he knew how to be blind, he knew chakra control. And now all of this plus so much more was now Hibiki's.

Now it was her job to use her new skills to get Suigetsu and Juugo from the prison. She had checked last night for the exact location of Suigetsu and Juugo. She counted each step and each movement to be as accurate as possible. She would need to conserve her front vision as much as she could, this battle could be long. She knew the path inside the building, and how many guards would be moving inside at each time, but she felt anxious, her body shook slightly. Standing tall she paid for her room and walked outside, the wind was cold, and it began to snow. Cold flakes landing individually on her skin and melting into water.

Using the cane to feel in front of her she moved forward and down the street. She walked to the edge of town and reminded herself of the location of the castle,

 _If I follow this road and turn at the first left turn it should lead me to the castle, or at least close_.

Taking a deep breath, she moved forward. She eventually found the left turn and followed the path for a few miles. The wind picked up and the snow fell harder, the flakes became large clusters on her clothes and skin, heating and then melting making her wet.

As she debated checking her location, she hears footsteps nearby, slowly approaching. Hibiki tensed up and had a hand on her hidden kunai.

"Hibiki." a voiced called from her right. Her anxiety and fear increasing as she turned to the voice.

"It's been a while; I see you are in good health." the voice spoke.

"Kabuto-san?" she asked relaxing some. "Why are you here?" her voice hardened.

"I am in need of your services Hibiki, I need the location of a specific body," he said, his voice sounded off, more menacing, like Orochimaru.

"What do I get in return?" she cautiously inquired. She was no longer Orochimaru's tool, her visions had a price now.

"Yes, of course, I thought you'd say that. I'm not sure if this is payment." he touched her hand, his scaly skin made her shrink back. A piece of paper was placed in her open palm.

"And this is?" she wondered.

"Oh, just a document I had that is of no use to me now," he said nonchalantly.

"What body do you want?" she sighed.

"Madara Uchiha's. The real Madara Uchiha's," he instructed. Hibiki had decided to move past her fear, she wouldn't let herself be stopped by it. She had finally looked into the situation around 'Madara' and the Akatsuki and knew a loose layout of the coming events. She could take action but a part of her urged her to take the chance on the Naruto boy and Sasuke.

Hibiki closed her eyes and furrowed her brow. She quickly found Madara, then in curiosity looked at the document Kabuto had given her. Her eyes snapped open.

"How, I mean, this document! This, I mean…" she stumbled over her words, astonished.

"I'm sure you'll know what to do with it. Now, Madara?" he asked.

Hibiki nodded and gave Kabuto the information that he wanted.

"It was good working with you, oh! and the castle is only half a mile away," he told her.

"How did you know," she called after the fading footsteps.

"You are going after Juugo and Suigetsu right? I can sense them there," he called back. licking her dry chapped lips, she carefully stored the document in the inside of her sweatshirt, turned and walked on. She had to focus on her task at hand and worry about it and Kabuto later.

Just as Kabuto had said, she found the road to the castle half a mile away. Nervously she stretched, allowing her body to feel loose and flexible. Taking a steadying breath Hibiki solidified her determination.

In an attempt to disguise herself, she wrapped a long-hooded cloak around her, one she bought from the Hotel's family. Covering herself, she had her hand out to hold the cane in a specific way as she hunched over.

She looked like what could be an elderly person from afar. This could give her time to get close enough to the front gate guards to launch a surprise attack. Under the cloak in her left hand, she took that kunai she had and held it in her other hand. Then she walked to the castle.

The front guards stood on either side of the open gate, the wind was increasing, and they began to feel chilled. It was another 4 hours before they would be relieved of duty. Slowly a bundle of cloth moved toward them, at first, they were alarmed, but as it got closer, a hunched person with a cane approached. Their coat pulled close due to the increasingly bad weather. A blizzard was coming.

"How may I help you?" one asked.

"I have business inside," she said.

"Can we ask for your summons paper." the first one asked again.

"Oh, I believe I lost it to the wind," she answered

"I cannot let you pass without summons paperwork." the guard frowned.

Feeling the suspicion, Hibiki moved quickly and suddenly, dropping her cane and letting the cloak whip around her in the wind. The guard was confused seeing the young girl with one eye shut and didn't act fast enough. With a shaky hand, she sliced the speaking man's neck. She dodged a swing from the second man's sword, dropping her kunai she pulled the sword from the first man and took a defensive stance.

The man was right on her, swinging and jabbing at her. Hibiki dodged and blocked his attacks, waiting for the right moment to strike. After a little melee, her opportunity came, and she jammed her sword through the man's side, he paused giving Hibiki time to retract the sword and bring it down on his neck, a clean cut.

Panting Hibiki was surprised by her own body. Haruto made Hibiki exercise during their time together, that paired with his fighting knowledge and experience gave her near master skills. Her life with Haruto was worth it.

Steadying her breath, Hibiki dropped the sword, grabbed her kunai, and stored her cane in a sheath on her back, like a sword. She let her front vision go and now moved as a blind woman. The forming blizzard hiding her footprints and the men's bodies behind her.

Hibiki held herself tight under the cloak, she had never really fought before. She trained in dodging, sure, but wielding a knife, a blade, this had to be the first time. Yet it wasn't, she wielded swords as Haruto, they had fought and killed many times in his life.

Focusing on her breathing as she walked, she smiled at how surprisingly well that went.

 _Well, they were two young and fairly inexperienced samurai. Had it been a real one It would have been a harder fight._ She thought.

Forcing herself to focus, she moved on and enters the castles main doors opening it just enough for her to slip in and close it again. She ran along the right wall, her hand giving her a sense of her location. She quickly found a niche to hide in.

Three... two….. one,

Two men speaking grew louder and then passed her, their voices fading slightly as they walked away. Hibiki kept to the wall and quietly ran down the corridor and turned into the next one. She found the next niche and counted to 92, two men passed her again and she ran down the first right turn she came too. She continued her counts and hiding until she came to an open area. This was a center where 4 corridors met. Two guards would be waiting right by the hall that leads to the cells. She would have to be sneaky; these men would be more experienced. Summoning her courage and knowledge she gained from Haruto.

 _You can do this you can do this you can do this_

She placed one foot onto the wall, getting her grip then walked up against it. She took each step carefully and very deliberately. Only when she was near the ceiling did she go around the corner and move down the room to the guard's position. Finally making it to an area high above them. Preparing herself she closed her eyes and focused, gathering herself and forcing her soul to split again.

When she opened her eye, her building adrenaline made her numb, and she ran down the wall and jumped onto the first guard standing on the left.

Her increasingly shaky hand slit his throat. Blood sprayed out of the wound. The other guard grabbed her pulling her off his teammate. She quickly stabbed through his arm, causing her to be dropped. She turned as he swung his sword at her and Hibiki barely ducked just in time. She lunged at the nearby wall, kicking off it and ripped his helmet off with one hand. She landed and dodged another attack, then she springs forward slashing his eyes with the kunai. The only way she was going to make it was to fight as dirty as she needed to. Even if it meant condemning this man to a world of an empty black abyss.

The man took a few steps back in pain covering his face as blood poured, Hibiki took this chance to run down the hall as their commotion and his screaming drew attention. Replacing her kunai, she took out three smoke bombs from her pocket.

As she came to a junction and four guards began to surround her, she threw the first bomb down, thick smoke covering the area. She quickly took the left hall and ran until she found the stairs. Being small made it easy to slip past these men in bulky armor.

Throwing herself forward, the men right on her heels, she ran down the stairs. She slipped twice and fell on her ass. Scraped her knees too, but she kept herself propelling forward, and on the last step her ankle twisted and began to throb in protest of the weight she put on it. She had Haruto's skills but not his grace.

 _Keep moving_ , she thought, her adrenaline and her desire to see Suigetsu, were the only motivations moving her. At the base of the stairs were three halls, Hibiki took the left moving her feet as fast as she could. She came to the next junction that held the guard's station and was quickly surrounded, she threw down the second bomb, holding her breath as she did so. She grabbed some keys from the desk and ran off straight down the hall, the men coughing and gagging behind her.

During their down time Karin had Told Hibiki the recipe for the horrible perfume she had made a while back. And as a part of her preparations for this day she recreated it and added extra chemicals to make it into a thick smoke. It seemed Haruto had learned to make smoke bombs and other types of bombs during his travels.

 _I'm glad Karin gave that one to me_ , she thought, the horrible perfume experiment was incredibly useful.

She skidded to a halt as two men stepped from a conjoining hall, the first has his sword drawn and ready. As she jumped back to avoid her head being cut off, her hood was pulled and ripped off her head. Her face exposed to them.

She slammed into the wall and just as quickly used her kunai to slash the inclosing swordsman neck, cutting it but no were deep enough to last or kill. However, for the time being, it made him grab his throat, dropping his sword. The second man stabbed at her, making a long cut on her cheek.

As she was dropping her last smoke bomb she was stabbed in her side, the blade piercing her. She dropped her third and last smoke bomb and slid herself off the blade. Grabbing her side, she ran down the hall the men had come from.

 _The sword guy will be up soon, he will be able to heal that slash easily and come after me again._

Twisting and turning down the halls, Hibiki passed many escaping inmates and the samurai guard were preoccupied with them, letting her pass through the crevices of their battles. After turning down a quiet hall, Hibiki bent over in exhaustion. She closed her eyes and let her front vision go. Sweat beaded on her forehead and drops ran down her neck and arms. She was getting a headache and her adrenaline was coming down, leaving shock and the cold fear of death behind. She gripped her side as warm blood soaked through her clothes.

Thankfully the hall she was in was quiet and still, she straightened back up as much as she could. With one hand holding pressure while the other glided on the wall for support as she walked. The sound of fighting approached from nearby. Panting, as she reached a turn, the fighting became louder. And in the chaotic noise, Hibiki heard a familiar snicker. Relieve flooded her as she turned the corner she called out.

"Suigetsu."

…

After using his finger guns to shoot another guard in the head, Juugo slammed others into a wall. The man's corpse fell, and blood puddles around his bare feet. Once Suigetsu and Juugo had left the cells they could hear the guards moving around in odd patterns, not like their usual rounds. Not wanting to take any chances the two opened all the cells they came across, freeing the other prisoners. They would preoccupy any samurai, leaving Suigetsu and Juugo open to sneak past. But the inmates died faster than expected, and guards pursued the two.

Juugo let his rage go, allowing his violent nature and tendencies to take control. His blood lust was thick. Juugo killed everyone in his way, a human tank going through the halls. Suigetsu stayed clear of him, following a safe distance behind. However, he had to fight too, as a few men snuck around the labyrinth of halls and cells.

Then he stopped.

He heard a voice he missed a sweet sound that gave him relief. Hearing Hibiki's voice was like a song, she was alive. Suigetsu looked around him frantically and caught sight of Hibiki at the end of a nearby hall. She panted and her cheeks were flushed from running. She favored her right leg and had a visible cut on her cheek. Blood dripped from her clutched side. All this went unnoticed as Suigetsu fills with jubilation. A smile on his face, His feet moved before his brain could react and soon, he slams into her, pulling her into his arms.

She was so warm, soft, and She smelled like sweat and blood. He walked himself into a wall, resting his back on it, gluing her to his body.

Hibiki took a few moments before wrapping her free arm around him, returning the hug. Burying her face into him. He smelled bad, probably been a while since he got to bathe, and he was squeezing her too tight, but she didn't care. She listened to his heart as it beat at a frenzied pace, just like hers.

After a few moments, they pulled away and he examined her. She was dirty, her hair a tangled mess, she had splattered blood on her, spray from another person dotted her face and arm. Then he noticed the rest.

"Fuck Hibiki!" he yelled sitting her on the floor. A sweet smile on her tired face.

"Wait here," he said rushing to the nearest corpses. He ripped strips of cloth off them and snatched a lighter from a dead samurai. Running he returned to Hibiki, slightly panicking. She had taken off her sweatshirt, when Suigetsu arrived he looked at the gash.

"Lay down Honey, I have to sear the wound shut." he told her, taking the Kunai and heating it with the lighter.

"It's bad huh?" she said in a hushed voice as she complied.

"Yeah it is, Hibiki are you ready? It's going to hurt." he asked, and she nodded.

Throughout the basement level was fighting between inmates and samurai, inmates freed their friends, and a few lay dying from an attack from the crazed Juugo. The fighting stopped momentarily, a moment of stillness as an agonizing scream echoed through the halls.

Hibiki worked on slowing her breath, as Suigetsu wrapped it up applying pressure to the sight. When she had her breath back, He helped her slowly stand up. Her blood-soaked sweatshirt was left on the ground, her white undershirt exposed. Her cloak still hanging from her shoulders.

She regained her balance and calmed herself further. He reached out and caressed her cheek, and she leaned into it.

"Let's get the fuck out of here." he smiled, taking her hand they jogged down the hall to find Juugo.

…

Juugo had lost his composure for a bit. Like always his memory was a little blurry after transforming. But he could say he definitely didn't kill Suigetsu. Which was good. He stood near the stairs, a small pile of samurai corpses and dying men around him, and the hall he came from had holes in it. Suigetsu would have no trouble finding him.

During the escape Juugo let his building tension take over, His urges had risen, but now it felt more sedated. He felt more in control of himself. Which was a good thing. With Sasuke being gone he feared for Suigetsu's wellbeing.

Hearing footsteps he snaps from his thoughts and sees Suigetsu guiding Hibiki to his location. Their hands clasped together. Hibiki held her side and had a slight limp.

"Hibiki!" he smiled as she came in front of him. "I'm happy to see you."

"Juugo it's good to hear your voice, and from what I've seen, your regular sized again, that's great." she smiled.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm just breaking into prison to get my friends out of it." she shrugged. A much-appreciated smile came to Juugo's lips. The three then turned and walked up the steps to the main level.

"I'm going to go find my sword." Suigetsu announced as they entered the junction hall Hibiki had come in from. "You and Juugo should go someplace safe and rest," he told Hibiki.

"No, it's ok. I can keep moving." she insisted, squeezing his hand. He wasn't happy about this, but he didn't want her out of his sight or reach right now.

"They confiscated it, right? Then let look in the armory." Juugo suggested walking down another hall, figuring the armory would be nearby to help with prison riots.

"What? You're going to help me? You're all right, Juugo. Unlike that Karin." he sneered.

"Speaking of which, where'd she go? Want to look for her?" Juugo asked.

"She isn't here, she is in Konoha right now," Hibiki told them.

"Should we go get her?" Juugo asked.

"I'd rather not." Suigetsu frowned.

"No let's leave her alone for now, she's going to be fine on her own," Hibiki said to them.

"Oh, did you see her escaping?" Juugo asked.

"No, don't need to, I know Karin, She's perfectly capable on her own." Hibiki shrugged.

"Alright then let's go to the armory and look for the sword then," Juugo concluded. With a plan of action, the three walked through the castle mostly undisturbed. Most of the guards were focused on the prisoners escaping, the rest of the samurai were gone. The halls were empty and echoed a bit.

The trio found a few armories in the castle, one on the east side and one on the west. The east side didn't have Suigetsu's sword. Hibiki waited by the door as Suigetsu and Juugo looked through crates in the west armory.

"It's not here either." Suigetsu frowned.

"I think there is one more place it could be, in the castles north armory," Hibiki suggested.

"Let's go to that one next then." Juugo agreed. Juugo, Suigetsu and Hibiki walked side by side through the halls. Suigetsu's hand keeping Hibiki close by. After they venture down the hall for a bit Juugo turns to Suigetsu.

"You said you're gathering all the lost Hidden Mist Blades. Why are you so obsessed?" Juugo asked,

"What?" Suigetsu hissed. "You said you'd help me. Don't tell me you're giving up?" he complained.

"You're the one who gives up. Except when it comes to the ninja blades." Juugo continued curious,

"I need one thing to keep me going. Resurrecting the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and becoming their leader is my dream." he shrugged.

"Resurrect?" Juugo inquired.

"Yeah." Suigetsu smiled his voice rising in tone with his excitement.

"Right now, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen consists of a single brat named Chojuro." he grimaced.

"Traditionally, the ninja blade is passed down from generation to generation. Right now, there is only one blade, known as the Hiramekarei." he explained. "Nothing else. The great blade, Samehada, is in Kisame's possession, but he's a rogue ninja. I finally got a hold of the Executioner's Blade, only to lose it. So officially, that unit doesn't exist today. For now, anyway" he gave a toothy smile.

"Anyway, there are lots of other blades," Juugo says.

"Yes but these blades are special," Suigetsu said.

"Among the Ninja Swordsmen throughout history, there were super masters besides Kisame, Zabuza, and Chojuro." he continued.

"First there's the wielder of the Lightning Blade, the Fang, a blade swathed with lightning with the ultimate cutting edge, Ameyuri Ringo. The wielder of the Blunt Blade, Kabutowari, that smashes through any defense Jinin Akebino. The blade that stabs and pierces everything and sews them together, the Long Blade, the Sewing Needle. Its wielder is Kushimaru Kuriarare. The blade that adds explosive power to one's swordsmanship the Explosive Blade: the Splatter. And its wielder, Jinpachi Munashi. And the one who, like Kisame Hoshigaki, wielded the Great Blade, Samehada, Fuguki Suikazan. And the one who could handle all seven blades. The one who is known as the second coming of the demon, my older brother, Mangetsu Hozuki." he said excitedly. "And I am going to be the captain of the new generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and…"

"Enough." Juugo interjected, "You're talking too loud." he hushed.

"Hey, I was coming to the climax." Suigetsu complained about his story's flow gone.

"The sword you used it broke in two, right? Shouldn't you just make a new sword?" he asked his voice lowered.

"You don't know a thing. That blade has a certain power. The Severing Sword, the Executioner's Blade, cannot be chipped or nicked. No, a better way to put it is, the blade repairs itself. It cuts into humans, then absorbs their blood. It regenerates itself with the iron present in the blood." he says.

"Efficient," Juugo remarked as they entered the final armory. After half an hour of searching through even more crates of boring, regular swords, Suigetsu groaned.

"Guess we should move on then," Juugo says. Suigetsu frowns, he really hoped the blade would be here. Now he would have to hunt it down all over again. Hibiki put her hand on his arm, he looked at her and sighed. She smiled a reassuring smile as they left the north armory.

The three had to move cautiously now, with most of the prisoners caught, killed, or gone, The samurai were on the move again. Hibiki gets them to find a statue of a samurai in the east wing. Once there she found the chip in the stone statues base. She turned with her back to it and then slowly progressed forward, counting each of her steps.

She guided them to a small room that held extra supplies hidden in a remote corner of the hall. In the back of the room behind some dusty boxes, was a door to a small tunnel. Hibiki unlocked it with the keys she stole from the guard table. With Hibiki in the lead, they crawled on their hands and knees, with Juugo having the hardest time squeezing through. The end of the tunnel was blocked by a grate. Hibiki pushed it open and crawled out into the piling snow.

A blizzard whipping around them, making visibility low and a great cover for leaving. The tunnel leads out to the back of the castle, and through the woods behind it was the way to the Land of Fire.


	27. Chapter 26: A Quiet Moment

**Chapter 26: A Quiet Moment**

The weather only got worse as they reached the cold beach. Once they walked onto the sand Hibiki sat and rested. She held her side and tested her ankle by flexing it. Cringing when pain shot up her leg. Juugo lingers by the treeline and is quickly surrounded by local wildlife, a few birds and a squirrel. All chirping at him, telling him things.

"They are saying the storm will only get worse," Juugo announced, turning to Suigetsu who stood closer to the water.

"Well I'm not staying in this shitty place." Suigetsu said as he watched the menacing storm inch toward them. The clouds only got darker and denser as they spread further across the unsettled ocean. It would not be an easy journey, and if the storm was going to be as bad as Suigetsu felt it was going to be... He turned to Hibiki, she was sitting on the ground, hand holding her side, her eyes were half-closed. She was a sweaty bloody mess.

 _She needs a good place to rest._

He walked over to her and knelt beside her, caressing her face. She looked at him and smiled softly. Her skin was cold even to Suigetsu.

"The samurai are coming after us, it won't take them long to track us." Hibiki affirmed. Still holding her face, Suigetsu glanced up at Juugo, and they shared a silent conversation, ending with them both nodding.

"Come on Hibiki, I'll carry you." Suigetsu said helping her stand.

"Alright." she agreed with a tired sigh. He got her on his back, she rested her head on his shoulder, their cheeks touching.

"Sorry." she murmured. "I'm still a burden."

"Yes, but you're my burden," Suigetsu chuckled.

"I'm going to let that one slide," she smiled, securing herself on his back. He walked down the beach and stood in the surf, letting the saltwater cover his feet before slipping away again. He hated saltwater. He was quickly joined by Juugo. The two stood side by side, each gathering their energy and adrenaline. Taking a calming breath, they started their hazardous run to the Land of Fire.

The water was worse than Suigetsu was expecting, a shift in the wind brought the worst of the storm right on top of them. It was hard to stay surfaced, with the waves falling over them. Submerging them and flipping them over and over. Being the stronger swimmer, Suigetsu had to grab Juugo and bring him back to the surface with him. They were soaking in salty water. It had to be the longest and most straining two hours of Suigetsu's life. Hibiki kept herself attached to him so he could help Juugo. They surfaced and coughed up seawater, trying not to drown. Gaining their footing on the rampant water and running varying distances before the ocean dragged them back under it.

After an eternity they reached the shore, Hibiki got off Suigetsu, as he fell flat on his face in exhaustion.

"Fuck that was a rough run." Suigetsu coughed. Hibiki crawled to Suigetsu flipped him over, holding his head in her lap, helping him cough up the last of the water. She gave him a worried expression, brushing his soaked, flattened hair away from his face.

"I'm fine." he notified, touching her hand reassuringly. After a few moments, he regained control of his breath. Hibiki reached over towards Juugo's coughing and touched his arm.

"I'm good, thanks." he sighed. The rain fell harder and thunder clapped through the dark sky. Hibiki covered her ears until the noise fades away.

Suigetsu felt like jelly, he didn't think his body would allow him to stand. Only with Hibiki's aid could he get on two feet. While helping Suigetsu with his balance, she closed her eyes for a few short moments before opening them again.

"North, through the woods. Keep going straight until we find a road, we need to follow it to a nearby village." Hibiki instructed.

Suigetsu, Hibiki and Juugo trudged forward, mud-caked their feet as they stumbled through the wood. Thorns and branches snagging on their skin and clothes. It took a while to find the road, half an hour of slow progressive movement. The trio rested on the edge of the road as the wind changed the angle of the rain, hitting them hard. Not soon enough they came to a small village.

The village's main street was empty, of course, the rain kept people inside, but it felt empty too. No lights, not even streetlights were on. Suigetsu eyes the area, he didn't like how quiet it was either.

"This place is giving me the creeps." Suigetsu shuttered.

"What's wrong?" Hibiki asked feeling the intensity.

"The village seems abandoned." Juugo said eyeing the area, "but recently so."

"And the buildings are fine? No sign of a struggle anywhere?" Hibiki asked.

"None, it's like the people just walked away." Juugo answered.

"I don't like the sound of that." she frowned. The trio continued to walk through the village, knocking on doors and calling out, but no signs of life were present.

"Let's just break into a house, we need to get out of this weather." Suigetsu suggested.

"Good idea, but let's find a more secluded one, it will be safer." Hibiki added.

Juugo and Suigetsu agreed, none of them were in the mood to fight if more than one or two people showed up. A secluded house would limit the number of possible 'guests' they could receive.

They continued through the village, a little way past main street were scattered homes. Juugo spotted the most secluded, a small white house that was the last in a row of houses. It's back to the forest. They walked around back and Juugo broke the lock on the door, allowing them access inside. They tumbled in and closed the door behind them. When the door slammed shut, they waited a moment, listening to the house, but it was still.

They all sighed in unison. Juugo and Hibiki shivered violently, their clothes soaked to the bone, and the freezing ocean water still clung to their skin. Suigetsu, on the other hand, was wet, soaked like them and was cold, but he wasn't as cold as Hibiki and Juugo were. He despised seawater, could not work with it like he can with fresh water.

Hibiki took off her cloak and shoes before taking her cane out and used it to slowly explore the home. She found a bedroom, the bed was large, a good fit for Juugo. She found a dresser and rummaged through it, finding clothes inside. She pulled out the largest pair of clothing she could find, shorts, and took them with her. Next, she entered the bath, she started the hot water and left it running to fill the tub. She then went to the second room on the far side of the small house. She rummaged through some more drawers and pulled out clothing that seemed like they would fit her and Suigetsu.

Meanwhile Juugo switched on a light in the kitchen, it was small, and he had to duck a little to get inside the doorframe. He was careful of how he moved, not wanting to break anything by accident. He looked through the cabinets and draws and found some basic ingredients. He measured out the portions,

 _Well Omurice is fine, but it's going to be plain_ he thought. Then he shrugged, right now food was food. So he got to work.

Suigetsu walked in and turned on the light, it was partly a dining room, partly a living room. A tv in one corner with a couch and a chair facing it. Some decorations of pictures of the family were on the walls, it was a small family. He walked over and collapsed on the couch. His legs felt like jelly and his body lead.

But he was at a point where he was so tired, he wasn't tired.

"Suigetsu, Juugo!" Hibiki called. Suigetsu groaned as he rolled off the couch and walked to Hibiki. He and Juugo stood before her and she held out the clothing she had found.

"Change," she ordered. The two happily obliged, Juugo reached and found a larger pair of boxers and turned around and walked into the closest bedroom before Suigetsu could give him a look. Hibiki peeled off her soaked shirt and pants, feeling lighter with them off.

"Can you hang the clothes to dry please?" she asked Suigetsu.

"Yeah, I got it." he agreed yawning. She took her clothing and went to the bathroom. She finished undressing inside, taking off her bra and undies.

She slid the inner door open and entered a warm steamy room. Carefully she found soap and scrubbed at her skin. The saltwater and sand that stuck to her were getting uncomfortable. She washed her hair thoroughly then rinsed off. She finally climbed into the tub of hot water and submerged herself. She sat under the water until she needed to breathe. She resurfaced and smiled, content. Her skin warmed, and her muscles relaxed a little. She had been so tense since the escape, now she gave herself slight peace of mind. Suigetsu and Juugo were safe, she was safe, and she was clean.

She would have loved to stay in longer, but she knew the boys needed this too, probably more so. Hibiki slipped out and toweled off. Sliding the shorts on and the large t-shirt over her. She opened the door to the living room slightly.

"Suigetsu? Will you help me?" she called, and he was by her side instantly. "Help me treat the sear mark?" she asked.

"Yeah," he yawned following her inside the bathroom. He rummaged through the owner's stuff and found some basic first aid supplies.

"Good they got antibiotic cream." he sighed, eased by the sight of the small jar. Searing a wound was not the best way to treat a stab wound, but it was all they had at the time. He returned to Hibiki, she sat on a stool waiting for him. Bending next to her Suigetsu used his very limited knowledge of healing. He was more of a separator than a bonding person. She held the shirt up for him while he worked.

The cut and new burn mark was on the opposite side from her long burn scar. It was very pink, Suigetsu ran his thumb tenderly over it. The flesh was still delicate, If Hibiki moved the wrong way, it could open again. Suigetsu carefully put an antibiotic on it, smiling when Hibiki let out an eep as the cold cream touched her warm body. He then put a patch on, in the morning they would wrap her stomach, but this was fine for now.

"Thanks." she sighed standing. Suigetsu also stood, reaching out and holding Hibiki's face, her cheek was a little swollen,

"Why do you end up with the worst of it every time?" he asked as he tended to the cut.

"Just my luck? Or maybe because I'm not really trained like you guys if I could perform jutsu I probably wouldn't get hurt so much." she guessed.

He pressed his forehead to hers,

"Probably," he agreed. the two stood together, quietly like that.

"You should take a bath," she giggled.

"Do I stink?" he asked.

"Yes," she smiled. He couldn't help but smile too, god he missed her. After a few more moments, standing with their foreheads connected, they separated.

Hibiki stepped out into the living room and hobbled over to the couch. Her ankle was very swollen and probably looked bad. She grabbed her pack that she had taken off earlier and pulled out her wrappings. She carefully bandaged her foot, resting it on the side of the couch while she laid on her back. She could feel each painful throb running up her leg.

Suigetsu didn't stay in long. He wasn't all that uncomfortable, he just mostly needed to clean off a month of prison, and an adventure in the ocean. Once his skin and hair were finally clean, he felt better and changed into the clothes Hibiki had given him. A pair of loose PJ pants and a t-shirt.

"Hey Juugo, your up!" he called as he left the bathroom. Juugo carefully maneuvered himself out of the kitchen. He had on a pair of knee shorts that were, a little snug, but were better than his wet clothes. Suigetsu went to the couch and sat on the floor near Hibiki's head.

She looked really tired. He glanced at her swollen and colorful foot. Frowning mostly to himself. He looked back at Hibiki and watched her. Her eyes were closed, but she was awake.

Her clean wet hair was in disarray, he tamed it with his fingers, slowly brushing them through her hair. Hibiki smiled and turned her head to him. He stopped brushing her hair and placed his hand on her cheek. She was warm now, which gave him some relief.

"You smell better now." Hibiki told him.

"You look better, more rested. Healthier, you looked really bad before, like a living corpse." he said.

She reached out and felt his face,

"You aren't, I can feel the bags under your eyes. And your voice sounds so tired. Not like the Suigetsu I know." she joked. He smiles softly and brushes Hibiki's hair away from her face. He's been too worried about Hibiki to get much rest. That and the few dreams he did manage to have, woke him up.

 _What the fuck would I do if she wasn't blind?_

He waits and lets her re-familiarize herself with his face. Her hands starting on his cheeks, they move up and she traced his eyelids with her thumbs. Then she slid her hands down and she touched the tooth that stuck out. It was sharp. Her left hand rested on his neck while the other gently ran through his hair. It had gotten longer.

The sound of Juugo exiting the bathroom causes both of them to pull away. Hibiki sat up.

"Were you able to find anything good in the kitchen?" She called.

"Yeah, I made omurice, it's done so you guys can sit at the table, I'll bring it out." Juugo answered.

Suigetsu helped Hibiki stand and hobble over to the table, trying to take as much pressure as she could off her foot. Once she was in a chair, Suigetsu sat across from her, and Juugo walked out with three plates of warm Omurice. Once the food was in front of them, they all started shoveling it into their mouths. It was bland but amazingly good. Prison food was never warm, and it was always mushy. Any food was better than it.

"How long has it been since we ate together like this?" Hibiki asked after swallowing her last bite.

"A month at least." Juugo replied.

Something else about prison food, was that you ate it alone, in your cell. The company felt reassuring, warm. None of them said it, but they all felt like they finally returned home after so long, but the empty places of Karin and Sasuke felt heavy. Juugo quietly stood and took the three empty plates and placed them in the kitchen sink.

"I'm going to bed," he announced as he went into the bedroom by the kitchen. He walked in and fell onto the bed, falling asleep when he hit the soft mattress.

Taking Hibiki's hand they walked to the second bedroom together. He was relieved when he saw the fluffy bed. With a long sigh Suigetsu collapses on the bed and is overjoyed. His back was hurting from sleeping on the cells floor. He had Hibiki and a soft warm bed, life was good. Hibiki sits on the bed with him, he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head in her lap, Hibiki patted his head, the hair was still a little damp from washing.

"Tired?" She asked.

"Yeah, you?"

"It was a long day for all of us." She sympathized.

"Let's sleep through tomorrow." Suigetsu suggested.

"We'll sleep until we wake up, how about that? We can't stay long." She reminded him.

"Yeah yeah." he agreed reluctantly.

Finding the edge of the blanket Hibiki pulled it down and crawled inside. Pulling Suigetsu along taking the covers over themselves as they did so. The two laid on their sides and facing each other. After looking at her for a moment he pulls her into his arms and hugs her close. They both sigh,

"How was prison?" she whispered.

"The worst, at least with Orochimaru my back didn't hurt." he complained

"Bad bed?"

"Yeah really bad, Juugo's was better, he could sleep in his. I opted for the floor, way more comfy… what about you?" he wondered.

"I was in the hotel the whole time, so ok?"

"Better then the floor." he chuckled.

"Yeah." she agreed.

He lets his hold loosen just enough so he could see her face. Tucking some hair behind her ear.

"Can you tell me, what happened while I was away?" he inquired.

"Aren't you tired? Shouldn't we sleep." Hibiki suggested.

"I want to know what the hell you did over the last month, it will keep me up if I don't know." After slight hesitation Hibiki gave him a small sad smile.

"Hahaha, It's kind of crazy really. First, I saw you guys in danger,"

"You passed out, didn't you? I told Juugo you would try and get us." he frowned.

"Yeah, I collapsed. When I woke up an old man was in the room with me. He said his name was Haruto, he was …" she stopped. The name still giving her anxiety.

"What?" he probed.

"An Omoikane." she whispered.

"Really? I thought you were the last one?" he marveled.

"I thought so too, but there he was. He nursed me back to health, said I almost died." she admitted.

"Hibiki I told you that I'd come back." he chided.

"Yeah but..." she started.

"No buts!" he interrupted. "It took a while but me and Juugo would have gotten ourselves out soon anyway. What if you died? What the hell would I do then?" He scolded. Hibiki frowned and takes on a guilty expression, as she thinks of the oath to herself.

"You would have lived on," she told him.

"I wouldn't want to." he admitted.

"That's sweet." she smiled.

"Seriously Hibiki,"

"I'm better ok?" she interjected "I'm smarter now too. So, don't worry about what has happened." she assured.

"Fine...I'll let it go for now, so you woke up and Haruto was there?" he asked.

"Yeah, Long story short I was never properly taught, and he came to be my teacher." she continued.

"What took him so long?" he asked.

"He was really old Suigetsu, moved really slow." she giggled...

"Alright and?" he asked.

"Well he taught me a lot. I understand my abilities better and can use them properly now, well not properly but I will be much safer." she said.

"You were busy then,"

"Yeah, and it was worth it, he gave me his cane, the one I'm carrying," she chirped.

"Yeah?" he smiled.

"It's going to help me get an idea of where I am. It's cool." she went on.

"You can move on your own now huh" he guessed.

"Yeah." she beamed.

"I happy for you." he smiled, kissing her forehead.

"I learned a lot about living as a blind person... And so much has changed, I have more options in life than I thought…" she rambled.

"What options?" he asked.

"I'll tell you later." she said, nervous about telling him.

"It's always later with you" he joked. They giggled together and slowly started to laugh louder. After a few minutes, they calmed down slowly.

"What did you do in prison?" Hibiki asked as she calmed down.

"Not much played question games with Juugo and planned each guards personalized death." he shrugged.

"You and Juugo played question games?" she exclaimed.

"That's what you ask about." he chuckled.

"I expected the second part." she admitted

"You know me well," he laughs. "Yeah, we played 20 questions and stuff. It got really boring."

"You two got a little closer at least." she said.

"Yeah, Juugo's a good guy, I still don't trust him and his rampages." he said. Pulling her closer again. They lay in silence, breathing slowly in unison. Their hearts beating together. He pulls away again and caresses her face. He kissed her forehead then pressed their foreheads together. Slowly they fell asleep.

...

Hibiki awoke with a jolt. Sweat beaded her forehead as she panted. It was so dark... then a soft sound came from next to her, a snore. She gained control of her breathing. She was on her side, and Suigetsu was behind her, almost cradling her in his arms. Hibiki focused on his snoring and began to feel better. She was returning to herself again. He mumbles in his sleep, pulling her closer. Her back touching his chest, his slow breath on her neck. Smiling Hibiki let his snores become her lullaby.


	28. Chapter 27: Red Tulips

**Chapter 27: Red Tulips**

It was still raining when Suigetsu opened his eyes. The tapping on the roof and window continued at a steady pour. The room was chilled, icy like the rain. Sighing he tightened his arms, bringing the warm body closer to him. He then grabbed the blankets that had slipped down during the night and pulled them up. Tucking the blanket around the girl's small frame. Her face was buried in his chest, a soft smile touched her lips, her face peaceful. She had one arm wrapped around him gripping the back of his shirt, and the other resting under her head. Her short dull brown hair was fluffy and going in a million different directions,

 _She is so cute when she sleeps._ He thought.

Every bone and muscle in his body refused to move from this spot. No one could drag him away from this moment. It had been so long since he had Hibiki safe in his arms. Plus, he finally got some real sleep, the best sleep of his life in fact. He didn't realize how tense he had been until he woke up with his muscles sore but finally relaxed. He must have had them tensed the whole month he was in prison based on how sore they felt.

Hibiki who has always been a cautious sleeper wasn't as tense as she usually was. She felt more relaxed, less rigged and ready to jump at any moment. A deep satisfaction ran through Suigetsu. He made her feel safer…. That or she was too tired to be more aware. He was going with the first option though. It should be his job to help her relax, to help her sleep soundly. It was a job he wanted.

When he was with Orochimaru and in that tank, he woke up every day to emptiness and solitude. He had always wondered what it would be like to wake up with someone else with him. Hibiki had shown him this, and he loved it, well he loved waking up with Hibiki close by, it would be much different if it was someone else. He could feel her heart beating in her chest. Her slow inhale and exhale with each breath, her chest rising and falling.

Suigetsu had no idea what time it was, and he could care less. Juugo would probably wake them up if they slept too long. Although based on how still the house felt, he was still sleeping too. Not wanting to miss the chance to sleep for the whole day, Suigetsu closed his eyes again, sinking into the bed and Hibiki more, and let himself drift off again.

…

Juugo laid on top of the covers of the bed, his knees bent on the bottom edge, his arms stretched out on either side of him. He slept soundly and quietly, taking long deep breaths, slow and steady.

Hibiki and Suigetsu stood on the right side of his bed staring down at him. it was late afternoon when they finally dragged themselves out of bed. Coming to Juugo's room only to find him like this.

"He's passed out." Suigetsu said, looking over at Hibiki, who stared blankly forward.

"I'm sure he's just as exhausted as us, he was probably trying to keep himself in check. The last thing we needed in that storm was a rampaging Juugo." Hibiki commented. Then after a few silent moments, Hibiki began to reach out toward him. Only to have her forearm gently but firmly caught and held.

"Are you crazy? I like the guy, but I don't trust him when he's awake, let alone asleep. Who knows what might happen?" Suigetsu warned. Hibiki pursed her lips in thought before she nodded in agreement. When it came to Juugo it was often best to leave him to his own devices.

"Well, then you get to make breakfast because I have no idea where anything is," Hibiki told Suigetsu as they left the room, nudging him playfully with her elbow.

"Fine but I cannot promise good quality." he retorted. A soft smile forming on either of their faces, Hibiki excused herself and went to the bathroom to wash the night off her, she was a little sweaty from her nightmares, while Suigetsu began rummaging through the kitchen.

Hibiki closed the door behind her as she walked in, she slid her top off and placed it to the side. Then Hibiki found a towel and placed it by the sink. She ran the tap and did a quick clean up, taking the night's sweat off before drying herself and replacing her stolen top.

Once she was done, she exited the bathroom, finding Suigetsu waiting for her. He took her hand and led her to the table, sitting her in a chair.

"So what's for breakfast?" she asked.

"Steamed rice with an egg," he told her while placing a steaming bowel in front of her.

"Juugo could probably make something better," she teased as she ate.

"Yeah, we're lucky I didn't burn the damn rice," he joked. Hibiki's smile widened.

They ate silently and slower than they did the previous night, but they still finished rather quickly.

"We should wrap your stab wound." Suigetsu yawned, stretching as he stood.

"Alright, I'll meet you in there?" she asked as he took the bowl from in front of her.

"Yeah I'll put the bowls up." he agreed.

Hibiki returned to the bathroom and sat down like she had the previous night. Soon after Suigetsu came in, he gathered the few supplies they had and kneeled before her. Hibiki lifted her shirt for him, after removing the old bandage Suigetsu stared at the new burn mark. He tenderly ran his fingers over its length, Hibiki winced away and he immediately withdrew his hand.

"Sorry," he said, reaching over and grabbing the antibiotic cream.

"It's alright." she assured him, "It's just a little sore still."

Suigetsu gingerly tended to her new sear marks, reapplying antibiotic and placing a new bandage over it, then wrapping her stomach to keep the pressure on the spot.

"We should do this again before we sleep tonight," he said, Hibiki nodded in agreement, while he helped her stand.

"So what now?" Hibiki asked.

They both stood in silence, Suigetsu didn't have a sword to polish, and he wasn't going to let Hibiki use her foresight yet. What the hell should they do? It was raining so going outside was out.

"I have no idea," he confessed. Hibiki shrugged and walked out of the bathroom, towing Suigetsu behind her, she sat them on the couch.

"We could talk?" she suggested.

"Do you really want to?" he asked skeptically.

"Not really," she admitted with a smile.

"Me neither." he agreed with a groan.

Another thing he loved about Hibiki, she was a quiet person. Unlike Karin or most girls he knew (which were few) she liked the silence, it wasn't uncomfortable to just sit quietly with her. It felt natural and comforting.

Suigetsu pulled Hibiki with him as he lounged on the couch, she laid between his legs, her back to his chest. He took her hands and tangled their fingers. They sat in silence, listening to the rain outside. Suigetsu began to hum some tune Hibiki didn't recognize. They laid there and played with the hands of each other. About an hour had passed before an idea popped into Suigetsu's head. He got up and left Hibiki confused on the couch.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Just got an idea," he replied. Hibiki could hear him going around the small room and moving things. After a few minutes, he returned to his spot,

"Back in the lab, I often saw Orochimaru reading the same book over and over. I mean it's the only book I've seen him read. I forgot about it until I spotted the same book on the shelf in the house yesterday. Want me to read it to you?" he asked.

"Sure! It's been a while since I've heard a story. Not since my mom died." Hibiki agreed with excitement. "What's it called?"

"The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi," Suigetsu read aloud.

"That's an… interesting title?" Hibiki said, holding a laugh.

"Yeah, it's kind of stupid. That's what I remembered most about it though, the stupid title." he agreed, then he opened the book and began to read to Hibiki.

"He didn't think of his past often, but on warm days like today, he would sit at the base of a tree and listen to the wildlife around him. In the sounds of the forest, he could faintly hear the sounds from his oldest memories. An echo from the past catching up to him. He couldn't remember his parents' faces or the faces of the many children he knew, but he could remember his best friends face. It was always solemn and sad, like nothing in this world mattered. He had taken it upon himself to make his friend smile. It was his job to help the boy see the world as a good place. Of course, this was a short-lived fantasy. Now he was a wandering man, chasing the shadow of an idea he clings to. It is his only friend, his only hope, his only reason for moving on."

It wasn't a very long book, or very complicated to read, so by the time the rain stopped they were halfway through it. When the tapping on the roof slowly faded and then stopped, Hibiki sat up and turned to Suigetsu, he also sat up and listened closely after a few very silent minutes he stood and walked to the front door, opening it and stepping outside.

Finding a wet environment but a dry sky he turned and looked at Hibiki who waited anxiously for his weather report.

"Want to go on a walk?" he asked. Hibiki's face brightened as she jumped from the couch, almost falling twice before reaching him.

"Yes please!" she smiled.

He took Hibiki's hand and the two walked outside, leaving the front door slightly open as they left. The earth had been cleaned and everything smells new, fresh. Hibiki inhaled deeply and slowly let it out. They walked at a slow pace down the road, coming to a path that leads into the woods.

"Have you ever heard of Orochimaru reading?" He asked as they slowly walked.

"Well, I knew he read science documents and research stuff. But nothing like the book we are reading." Hibiki said.

"Huh, I wonder why this book then."

"I don't know. A mystery for the ages?" she wondered.

"Yeah, I never want to have a chance to ask him." He shivered, they both paused before laughing slightly to themselves. Hibiki took a deep breathe,

"I've missed this smell, that fresh rain smell. I forget how much I love being outside."

"It's nice. But I can still smell the ocean." Suigetsu complained.

"Me too. But I like the smell of seawater." Hibiki said.

"I'm more of a freshwater guy, I can't work with seawater that well," he admitted.

"A freshwater mermaid," Hibiki giggled,

"I'm not a mermaid." he frowned.

"Yes you are, you can live in the water, can't you? Breath in it too right?"

"Yeah ok fine, I may have some similarities, but it is not the same thing," he argued back. Hibiki laughed, he really hated the nickname she gave him.

Suigetsu squeezed Hibiki's hand while he pouted. Suigetsu turned his head up and looked up at the sky.

"You know my brother Mangetsu was really good at using seawater, So I guess he's the real mermaid." Suigetsu thought aloud.

"How much older was Mangetsu?" She asked.

"About ten years I think," he said.

"Wow that's a big age gap." she whistled.

"Yeah," He agreed.

"It must have been hard on your mom, losing both of her sons."

"I guess, I didn't know the women that well. Didn't really know my dad either, I mostly remember Mangetsu," he said.

"You really miss him huh?" she asked.

"Some days more than others," he answered. After a few moments of silence, Hibiki spoke up again.

"Can I ask how he died?" she said hesitantly.

"I'm not sure, he died and then Orochimaru grabbed hold of me. And you know how hard the first few months are with him right?" He answered.

"Yeah, you forget a lot of things in those first few months, I forgot my name for a while."

"So did I." he agreed. "I hate that guy."

"I do too. But you know, As much as I hate him, and everything he's done, I do have an odd respect for him? Or maybe admiration? I'm not sure how to describe it." Hibiki said.

"I know what you mean. I'm terrified of him, and I hate him to my very core, but I admire him in a way. Might be Stockholm syndrome or some shit." He admitted.

"Yeah that would make sense." she agreed. "You know Sasuke feels this way too," Hibiki added.

"Does Sasuke have to come up in every conversation?" he grumbled.

"I don't bring him up that much." she frowned. Suigetsu stopped walking. Hibiki turned toward him.

"You and Sasuke are close huh?" he asked.

"Yeah. He means a lot to me. You can say he's the person I trust the most, I think that's the best way to describe it." she answered. Suigetsu took his hand back and crossed his arms, pouting. Hibiki smiled softly and takes his face in her hands.

"Don't be jealous," she says. "We have something… different," she assured him.

"Shouldn't I be the person you trust the most?" he asked.

She giggles. "Do you want to be?" she asks.

"Yeah, I do." he agrees. Hibiki withdrew her hands and her face burned.

At that moment Suigetsu tilted her chin up and kissed her. Hibiki was shocked, to feel his lips on hers. It was the sweetest of pecks. He pulled away slightly and watched Hibiki's face become giddy, and her cheeks glowed pink. Seeing her reaction, he leaned back in again.

Suigetsu's lips were warmer than Hibiki had imagined, softer too. Her heart pounded in her chest painfully, she was surprised it stayed in her chest. Her hot face burned as she closed her eyes and leaned in, returning the kiss. Her hands gripped his shirt, keeping him close to her.

Hibiki's lips tasted so sweet to him. A taste he could only place as 'Hibiki'. His heart stopped in his chest, the overwhelming realization that he was finally kissing her started at his feet and slowly rose through his body, up to his spine to his head in a shiver. One hand found itself gripping her waist and the other cradled her face, his thumb rubbing along her cheekbone.

When he finally pulled away, he watched as her eyes remained closed for a few seconds before slowly fluttering open. Her lips slightly parted as her blank stare looked at him, with wonder.

They stood in silence, her hands still clenching his shirt, his hands still on her waist and face. Just as Suigetsu found his voice, raindrops began to slowly plop on their faces.

"Its-" he started, clearing his cracking voice, "Let's go back." he finally managed to get out. Hibiki nodded, slightly dazed.

Suigetsu lead them back to the house, their hands clutched firmly. Suigetsu's face was on fire, and yet again he was glad Hibiki couldn't see.

…

The two hurried back to the house, Suigetsu lead Hibiki, their hands firmly clasped. They made it inside just in time, leaving them only slightly damp. Their feet were muddy from the walk, Suigetsu grabbed a towel and cleaned both Hibiki and his own feet before going in. Hibiki was then brought to the couch by Suigetsu, pulling Hibiki with him as he fell into the sofa. Without a word Suigetsu and Hibiki settled back into their previous positions and Suigetsu picked the book up again. He read from where they left off.

Hibiki was unsure how long it took for them to finish it, but it felt very late. Her stomach grumbled very audibly. Hibiki felt her stomach as it rumbled again, louder this time. Suigetsu sat up with Hibiki he chuckled at Hibiki's pouty hungry face.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"Yep," she agreed.

Suigetsu and Hibiki got off the couch, Hibiki was seated at the table while Suigetsu went to the kitchen to hunt for food he could make. Upon entering the kitchen Suigetsu found a plate of food with a note on top.

 _Juugo must have woken up._ He thought

Suigetsu found two plates and divided the food Juugo had left behind, reheating the food by following the instructions in the note. It was a quick process and soon Suigetsu walked out of the kitchen with two hot plates. He placed one in front of Hibiki and gave her utensils as well.

"Did you make this?" Hibiki asked taking a deep sniff of the food.

"Ha like I could. Juugo must have woken up earlier, he made it for us." Suigetsu answered.

"That's nice of him" Hibiki mumbled with a mouth full of food.

They finish their meal quickly, without conversation. Once she was finished Hibiki put her chopsticks on the plate, she leaned back and stretched her arms and legs. Suigetsu grabbed both their plates and dumped them in the sink along with all the other used dishes. When he returned to the table, Hibiki had her arms folded on the table with her chin resting on top. Her eyes were closed. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder,

"Let's rebandage your wound and go to bed," he said taking Hibiki's hand. She groaned in protest with her stomach full, she felt tired. She wanted to go straight to bed but Suigetsu dragged her along to the bathroom where he changed the bandages.

The sear mark was healing nicely it was not as tender now. Once Suigetsu replaced the bandage he guided Hibiki to the bedroom where they fell into bed.

The pair quickly fell asleep.

…

In the early morning hours, the sun giving a soft glow of light, Juugo sat up and stretched out his long limbs. He slept for about a total of 24 hours, leaving him a little sluggish, but rested. He sat on the edge of the bed and focused on what needed to be done next. He stood and stumbled out of his room and looked around the quiet house. He yawned and continued to the other bedroom, the door was open into the darkroom, he poked his head in to find his two travel companions still asleep.

On the bed, Hibiki and Suigetsu slept in an embrace. She was tucked under Suigetsu's chin. Juugo smiled softly at the two. While Suigetsu snored loudly, Hibiki's face was strained her grip on Suigetsu's shirt tight.

 _She must be having a bad dream._ Juugo thought as he left the sleeping pair.

Juugo's clothes, like the others, was laid out on a table Suigetsu had cleared the other night. He had grabbed the picture frames and knick-knacks and roughly tossed them in a corner. Making room for their soaked clothes. Juugo grabbed his now dry pants and purple makeshift cloak. He changed out of the shorts Hibiki had found for him, glad to be out of the snug fit. Once dressed he entered the kitchen.

Last night he had surveyed the food in the kitchen and made dinner leaving just enough to feed them all a small breakfast before they moved on.

Once he started preparing their morning meal, it didn't take long for Suigetsu to come and join him.

"So what's the plan from here?" Suigetsu asked Juugo from the kitchen door.

"Find Sasuke of course," Juugo answered bluntly.

"Really? The jackass abandoned us in the Land of Iron. Why should we go after him?" Suigetsu complained.

"Because Sasuke's will is Kimimaro's will. I promised to follow Sasuke until he no longer needs my services. Besides I'm sure Hibiki will go looking for him too. I'm also sure you'll follow after her." he said.

"Ch," Suigetsu scoffed. Suigetsu was… torn. Sasuke was an ass who left them to rot in the Land of Iron. But Sasuke also had plans. Suigetsu wasn't much of a planner so it was easier to follow Sasuke than to come up with his next move on his own. His mixture of fear, respect, and content for Sasuke made him unsure what his true feelings towards Sasuke were. To be honest, being on team Taka had been entertaining, he wasn't stuck in a tank and he had things to do. Boredom usually led Suigetsu into sticky situations. Sighing in defeat Suigetsu changed back into his pants and black cloak, his shoes had been lost in the storm.

He returned to the bedroom where Hibiki slept, she was rigid and tense. Ready to jump at any moment.

 _Probably having a nightmare._ Suigetsu guessed.

Not wanting to scare her, he went to her side and sat on the bed. Gently caressing her face, rubbing his thumb across her cheek.

"Hibiki, wake up," he said as he used his other hand to shake her shoulder carefully. It only took a moment for Hibiki to snap her eyes open and sit up. Awake and alarmed.

"Suigetsu?" she asked.

"Right here, Juugo made food," he said. She sighed relaxing before getting out of bed. The two walked to the table together where plates had been set for them. Juugo sat in his seat eating his own food.

"Good morning Hibiki," Juugo greeted.

"Good to hear your voice," Hibiki said back.

Once she finished eating, Hibiki changed into a long-sleeved shirt from the house. She changed back into her own pants, pulled on her shoes and collapsed her staff, securing it and her pack to her hip.

The trio walked out of the town and down a road leading east,

"Let's start at the Eastern hideout, since it's the closest and then go from there," Juugo suggested.

"Sounds good." Hibiki agreed.

They walked at an even pace moving steadily forward. Hibiki had offered to find Sasuke herself and make things easier, but Suigetsu was on her ass about it.

As they walked, the overcast sky held its rain throughout the morning and into the afternoon.

As the first drops began to hit the trio, Suigetsu stopped and looked to the sky. Hearing him do this Hibiki turned in his general direction.

"Suigetsu, what's wrong?" she asked. Suigetsu glared at the sky as more rain began to fall. Seeing Suigetsu's odd behavior Juugo turned to some of the local wildlife that had been following them and whispered a question.

"I see, lots and lots of shinobi?" Juugo confirmed.

"It's a war, right?" Suigetsu guessed, looking to Juugo.

"A war? I didn't... I need to see this." Hibiki frowned. She sat on her knees and closed her eyes before Suigetsu could protest. It was about 5 minutes later when Hibiki stood with a huff. She pouted, upset.

"So what's going on exactly?" Juugo asked.

"I don't know, something's off. Really off. I can't see anything, and I mean that as literal as possible. Everything's a blur. I can't even see the hideout." Hibiki freaked. Suigetsu touched her shoulder.

"Don't worry," Suigetsu told her. She nodded, her face still expressing her confusion and frustration. Seeing Hibiki's stressed face Suigetsu turned to Juugo. "We should find Sasuke before we get mixed up in this war." Juugo looked at him and nodded in agreement.

 **AN: this took forever! I could not figure out this first kiss. It went through many drafts and I ended up with this. Hope you guys liked it. Let me know!**


	29. Chapter 28: The World Of Shallow Dreams

**Chapter 28: The World of Shallow Dreams**

The overcast sky loomed overhead promising more rain. As the trio walked Juugo kept his distance from both Hibiki and Suigetsu. The two were at odds, and the tension was not good for Juugo's well-being. Everything was going fine until Hibiki tried to use her precognition, that's when things became tense. She was irritable and everything seemed to upset her.

Suigetsu walked next to Hibiki, his hand grasped her sleeve so he could gently guide her away from obstacles as they moved. He pulled her around without her even showing any sign of resistance,

 _She's thinking too much._ Suigetsu thought, annoyed.

She was being stubborn and refused to be carried, but she was so absorbed in her own thoughts she was causing them more problems by walking. Suigetsu sighed, Hibiki could be a handful sometimes.

Hibiki had her arms crossed, tucked against her rib cage, her lips pursed, and her brow furrowed. Her blank stare even more distant than usual.

Hibiki's frustration only grew as they continued. Why couldn't she see? Even Naruto never screwed her vision like this. What could be going on? Her mind went in circles trying to decode her truly dark world. Not being able to see at all felt uncomfortable. She is in an odd place, and she didn't like feeling so…. Vulnerable, defenseless. Two things Hibiki promised herself she would never be.

Hibiki was dragged from her thoughts when she tripped and was suddenly on the ground. Her palms and knees stung from the impact.

"Hibiki!" Suigetsu exclaimed as he got her back on her feet. He took her hand in his and studied her palms, scratched and red.

"Hibiki will you pay attention? You're going to seriously injure yourself. If you can't concentrate on walking then I will carry you." Suigetsu scolded.

"I'm fine, I can walk on my own!" she snapped back.

"Not right now you can't. Use your weird stick thing or something, don't just blindly stumble around!" he argued.

"I'm not blindly walking so just mind your own damn business!" Hibiki yelled back, her temper rising with her frustration and irritation.

"Ugg we've barely made any ground! We need to get to Orochimaru's hideout and you're moving too damn slow! Would you stop being stubborn and let me carry you already!" Suigetsu ranted.

"If you're in such a hurry just go! I can get there by myself! I don't need you babysitting me all the time." she argued back.

"Like it or not Hibiki you can't find the hideout because you can't see where the fuck you're going! You have no idea where you are or which direction to go in! And you can't use your precognition to find your way right now!"

"Will you get off my ass Suigetsu and leave me alone!"

"AHHHHH, if Sasuke was here you would listen to him and we'd be there by now!"

"Sasuke would leave me the fuck alone! He knows I'm capable of doing things by myself! And He's not a coward who's terrified of fighting and is running to hide in Orochimaru's hideout! At least he can take care of his own ass while you just hide behind swords and other people!"

"Why are you being such a bitch!"

"Why can't you grow a pair?"

The tension and anger rolled off the now screaming pair. Knowing that everything would get worse if he let this argument continue, Juugo picked Hibiki up by the collar of her shirt and separated her from Suigetsu.

"Suigetsu go find a place we can stay tonight, Hibiki go get firewood," he ordered. In a huff, the two walked in separate directions. Juugo sighed in relief as the air around him grew light again. His deep violent urges inside him settled, for now. Why must he always be the mother?

The sky's clouded horizon grew dim as the sun set behind their thick curtain. The wind blew, bringing a symphony of chattering leaves. The rain set into a pour of pregnant droplets, soaking the land in seconds. The air chilled and a hazy mist covered the ground. A house cut in half sat deep in the woods about a mile off the road. It was a moldy and creaking structure that gave only a mostly dry place to rest. A small fire burned inside and gave some warmth to the three around the fire. Juugo had provided rabbit meat for food, and now as the dark consumed everything but the small glow of the fire, everything was still.

Hibiki was set up against a wall, she slept rigidly, and she shook a little from the cold. Suigetsu sighed loudly before giving in. He guided Hibiki to lay down, resting her head soundly in his lap, using his cloak to cover her. He brushed her hair out of her face and rested his hand atop of hers. She relaxed some falling into a deeper rest.

"That was an ugly fight today," Juugo whispered from the adjacent wall.

"I know she's frustrated and all but did she have to so damn mean?" Suigetsu whispered back.

"She did make a good point," Juugo chuckled.

"Shuddup."

Suigetsu turned to the fire and watched the flames dance in the breeze that came through the cracks of the building. His mind wandered to the fire Hibiki had run into.

"Has what I'm assuming happened happen?" Juugo cryptically asked.

"What the hell are you saying?" he answered annoyed.

"I'm saying you are getting more possessive of her. You definitely are being more open about touching her, so can I assume that's because you finally kissed her right?"

Suigetsu blushed and glared. "Why the hell should I tell you?"

Juugo chuckled, his question answered.

"You know she can do things on her own… I mean she did save us after all." Juugo went on.

"I know she can, but she's been acting weird all day. She's usually more attentive but today she's acting lost or something," Suigetsu sighed, "She's not used to being without her vision. She's scared."

"Let's just hope some rest will make her friendlier tomorrow" Juugo added as he leaned back and closed his eyes.

...

It was autumn, the dead leaves crunched under my feet as I walked around the yard. Everything felt coarser in the fall, the leaves beneath my feet, the dried-up plants in the garden, the bare sticks and twigs the wind had blown off the trees. The days growing colder as they passed. I don't like the cold, I like the sun, I loved summer when everything was green and alive and rain showers were short and fun to play in. autumn brought icy rain that killed the world.

"Hibiki," her voice calls from the gate. My smile grew as I turned to her sweet voice and ran to it.

"Mother!" I exclaimed as I ran to her arms getting a big hug from her.

"Hello dear, I brought some meat from auntie Kiki." she chuckled.

"Yummy!" I exclaimed as we walked to our home. "We can make stew tonight!" I declared. It had been a while since I had stew. Mother called stew a 'fall meal' for some reason.

Inside our creaky house mother stood in the kitchen and prepared dinner, I helped by chopping veggies at the table. When I was done, I had a few new cuts on my hands that stung in the cold air. Mother patted my head,

"Good job dear, always my big helper." I smiled at her.

Mother put the stew on the stove to let it cook. I heard her clean her hands on her apron.

"Doesn't the village have fall festivals? Can we go this year?" I asked as I got out of my seat and went to mothers' side. Mother was quiet, very quiet. She only got like this when she was thinking.

"Mother?" I asked tugging her skirt.

"Huh? Oh yes, the fall festival…maybe let's see how things go." She said absently.

"Mother, what's wrong?" I asked. I could feel her frown, her sadness.

"Hibiki let's go outside while the stew cooks, we have something to talk about."

"Ok," I agreed, she took my hand in her thin calloused one and led me out the door and into the cold wind.

The wind whipped my hair in all directions, making it knotty and messy. Mother usually pulled my hair back for me when this happened, but this time she didn't. I shivered a little as we walked. We went past the gate and into the forest, I knew where we were going.

Father's empty grave sat on a hill beyond the forest, we climbed up it and stood before it. Father wasn't really buried here, but this is where my mother chose to keep the memory of him. My ears hurt from the ever-growing cold air. It must be night.

`Together we stood for a long long time, just me and mother, quietly standing by the grave.

I began to shiver harder, and my skin grew icy.

"Can we go inside mom? I'm cold." I complained.

"Not yet dear," she said. I shivered next to her as she thought deeply, carefully choosing what to say.

"Your father died protecting us," she stated. Taking a long pause before continuing. "Hibiki when something dies it becomes a foundation for a new life. And if you disrupt that, it disrupts how things happen. Time is relative to its base. Without a firm base, everything changes. And time does not flow in the order it needs to." mother explained.

"I don't understand," I said.

"Dead things should always stay dead Hibiki"

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked.

"I just thought it was time to discuss it," she said

"But why?" I asked again.

Mother stayed silent; I knew something must have happened in the Village today.

"But don't you miss dad? If he could come back…" I tried to ask.

"Your father gave his life for us to live, never forget that Hibiki." She snaps. I pulled back, afraid of the firm voice she hardly used. "I loved your father, and there is so much of him in you, it's like I'm seeing him every day. I miss him but he is your foundation Hibiki. And so am I." she calmly explained, kneeling in front of me and taking my face in her hands.

"How come your so smart mother?"

"I read a lot dear," she told me.

"That's not fair I can't read!" I complained. I wanted to be smart like mother.

"Hahahaha. I wish I could teach you to read. But I'm not smart enough for that."

"Huh?"

"Nothing lets go inside and have stew," she said, taking my hand and guiding me back down the hill.

"Ok!"

That night after we ate, and mother put me to bed, she snuck away and went to the front porch. I could hear her, her soft silky voice that was so beautiful when she sang.

Irohanihoheto chiri nuru o

Waka yo tareso Tsune na ramu

U wi no o kuyama ke fukoete

Asakiyumemishi wehimosesu

Iro wa nioi e do Chirinuruwo

Waga yo dare tare zo tsune na ramu

Yūi u wi no okuyama kyō ke fu koete

Asaki yumemi ji yoi we himo sezu

Mother had such a good voice. I could listen to her forever. She didn't sing usually, and never did it when she thinks I'm listening. So, it was rare to hear her like this. I wanted to ask her to sing to me all the time but…. Mother only sang when she thought about dad.

…

Hibiki woke with a jolt. Her head had a dull ache, and the world felt as if it was moving beneath her. Hibiki slowly sat up, and a cloth fell off her. After a moment, she realized she had been sleeping in Suigetsu's lap, with his cloak covering her. She hears his snores and sighs. Taking the cloak and placing it back over Suigetsu. She then stands and walks away, not too far off from the building, she found a spot to sit, a dry place under a tree. She takes her seat at the base and hugs her knees to her chest. It was early morning, and the nocturnal animals went to bed while the birds and other animals of the day stirred awake.

It had been a while since she last dreamed of her mother. It was always weird to dream of her voice and soft touch. It always left a hole in her heart and a dull ache in her head.

Hibiki hears movement nearby and turns to the direction of the noise.

"Hibiki?" Suigetsu called.

"Here," Hibiki answered.

Suigetsu followed her voice and found her. He kneeled in front of her and caressed her face.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. Hibiki sighed and leaned into his hand.

"I had a weird dream last night. About my mom," she admitted.

"Really? What made it so weird?" he asked.

Hibiki told Suigetsu about her dream, and how oddly vivid it was. How the stew's taste lingered in her mouth, and how clear her mothers' voice was.

"It was like walking in a memory," she told him. "And this song, she never really sang so it's odd to remember her singing voice," she explains. Suigetsu pulls Hibiki into his lap as she tries to remember the lyrics.

Finally, when she began to sing it was in a very coarse voice, off-tune and awkward, but the lyrics were familiar so Suigetsu joined her.

Although its scent still lingers on;

the form of a flower has scattered away

For whom will the glory of this world remain unchanged?

Arriving today at the yonder side

of the deep mountains of evanescent existence

We shall never allow ourselves

to drift away intoxicated,

in the world of shallow dreams

When they finished singing, they sat under the tree for a while. Once the sun had come over the horizon, Suigetsu stood, pulling Hibiki with him.

"Juugo's probably up by now," he told her as they walked back to their campsite.

They found Juugo inside the destroyed house, he had started a fire and cooked some fish, each taking one.

"I wonder when we'll have real food again?" Suigetsu thought allowed as he finished his fish. Hibiki wondered the same thing. After they finished eating Suigetsu got Hibiki on his back with no protest and he and Juugo ran off.

Late that afternoon they arrived at the Eastern hideout. Hibiki was placed back on her feet as they stood outside. A light rain had begun to fall, as Suigetsu looks up at the entrance.

Designed to look like a snake with its mouth wide open, leading into darkness. When he was first captured he remembered seeing the entrance of the hideout for the first time. How the snake's mouth wide open, beaconing those into its depths. He remembered taking a last look at the sky, knowing he would not leave once he entered.

Suigetsu's thoughts drifted to Mangetsu, how he had always had a secret wish, a longing to see Mangetsu come into the lab and free him from his tank.

Hibiki turned her face toward him, sensing Suigetsu having hesitation.

"Are you ok? Going inside I mean?" she asked, concern on her face.

Silently taking her hand into his, he walks forward. The three walking into the snake's mouth.

As they walked in silence, the hall took a decline bringing them deeper under the earth. It grew colder as they walked. Stopping once while Juugo switched on the lights, Giving an eerie glow.

"It'd be great if Sasuke were here at this hideout," Juugo says, breaking the tension.

"This place is special, after all. Orochimaru's favorite spot." Suigetsu response. They walk deeper into the bowels of the snake, creeping through the halls. Their steps echoing slightly as they moved. The halls had the same smell like the other hideouts, moldy, stuffy, and a hint of decay.

"It's weird being in here after so long. I got used to the fresh air." Hibiki says mostly to herself.

"Hey, Sasuke are you here?" Suigetsu calls, the halls echo his voice. With no answer, they continue through the hideout. The moved on walking for about 10 minutes, Suigetsu growing more irritated.

"The size of this hideout is ridiculous." Suigetsu complains. As he says this Juugo pauses and covers his eyes with his hands, his head was beginning to ache.

"What's wrong?" Hibiki asked, not sensing Juugo by her side anymore.

"Nothing. My head just started hurting." Juugo said.

"Should we stop?" Hibiki asked.

"No just keep walking" he insisted.

After a few more steps the ache in Juugo's head becomes lighter. Once it went away Juugo looks at Suigetsu. Hibiki walked between them, with Suigetsu holding Hibiki's hand…

"Suigetsu" Juugo called.

"What is it?" Suigetsu replied.

"Something's always bothered me about you." Juugo begins to tell him.

"Oh yeah?! Well, I'm always concerned about you. You keep me on pins and needles." Suigetsu complained.

Continuing as if Suigetsu hadn't said anything, Juugo said "I'm here because I made a promise to Kimimaro. Why are you here? Are you in Team Taka just to cause trouble with Sasuke and Karin? Why?"

"You guys didn't talk about this the whole month you were together?" Hibiki asks as she raises her eyebrow at them.

"Nah," Suigetsu told her.

"I was just thinking, so why…" Juugo began to ask again.

"Why?" Suigetsu snapped "I would love to break those two losers up for good! I can't help it! I just want to break everything in two!" Suigetsu says his voice becoming menacing and dark.

"You're reprehensible, you know that?" Juugo frowned

"On that scale, Sasuke is the worst of all." Suigetsu spat back.

"What?" Juugo asked.

"Well, he beat Itachi, so I thought he had reached his goal already. But we ended up working with the Akatsuki? Next thing we know we're fighting the Kage. Thanks to him, we ended up as prisoners in the Land of Iron." Suigetsu pouts. "I hate all of you! I lead you idiots to water, and you just splash it on my face instead of drinking it. That's why…" he continued to rant.

But then Juugo's head suddenly burst. He had lost it, aiming for the closest living thing, Hibiki. He swung his arm back to demolish her, but just as he began his swing, Suigetsu threw Hibiki out of the way. She skids away hurting her back and elbows. Suigetsu turned into the water at the moment of impact of Juugo's fist. Barely making it.

Hibiki quickly gets up,

"He's on a rampage!" Suigetsu warned her. Hibiki knowing better stood back from the two. Thinking fast, Suigetsu liquefies himself and wraps around Juugo's head. Juugo struggled as he slowly drowned, once he passed out from the lack of oxygen Suigetsu let go.

"I hate you most of all!" Suigetsu yelled in frustration. Then the sudden sound of the wall crumbling apart startled Hibiki.

"What was that?" she asked.

"Huh?! This is...I've been here lots of times I never knew this existed." Suigetsu said amazed.

"What is it?" Hibiki asked walking closer.

"One of Orochimaru's secret rooms I think? Did you know this was here." Suigetsu asked.

"That man had a lot of secret rooms Suigetsu, I can't remember one hideout from another," Hibiki told him.

Suigetsu carefully examines the hole before carefully stepping in. Hibiki meanwhile found Juugo on the floor and sat him up. After a few minutes of rustling paper Suigetsu gasped.

"Huh? Huh? What? This is... Orochimaru planned all of this? If so, this intel could change the outcome of this entire war!" Suigetsu exclaimed.

"I thought you didn't want any part of the war?" Hibiki asked.

"I don't want to fight in it, but Sasuke might." Suigetsu told her.

Juugo coughed and opened his eyes.

"What are you doing? " Juugo asked as he came around.

"This might be a very nice present for Sasuke. We found something incredible by chance!" he told Juugo. Juugo coughs a little more eyeing Suigetsu while Hibiki helps him stand.

"Thanks," Juugo says stepping out of Hibiki's hands. His face looked a little guilty as he looked at the damage, and Hibiki, her elbows scratched up.

"Jugo that punch is water under the bridge" Suigetsu says, "Well maybe Hibiki should not stand so close anymore but," Suigetsu adds. Juugo looks even down, coughing the last of the water out. Suigetsu rolls his eyes.

"Snap out of it, Jugo. We've got to find Sasuke quick!" he called out. The back exit was closer so they hurried through the halls and out a trap door that leads outside. Suigetsu positioning himself between Juugo and Hibiki.

"The birds are uneasy," Juugo says as they greet him. "Over there." He points to where the birds are coming from. They were flying desperately away in unnaturally large groups.

"Let's go." Suigetsu smiles, getting Hibiki on his back again.

They set off, running at a faster pace, wanting to locate Sasuke as quickly as they could. Then a few miles down the road Hibiki groans.

"Suigetsu, can you put me down for a second?" she asked. Coming to a halt, he gently settles her on her feet and watches her with worry.

Hibiki felt like she was going to throw up any minute. Her head pounded in her head, and the world was spinning. Then she lost all feeling in her body, Suigetsu caught her before she fell. Hearing Suigetsu's worried voice fade, she opens her eyes to a white abyss,

"Hibiki," a voice says. She slowly turns, confused and startled to find herself standing in front of Itachi. Trying to find her words, she babbles a little.

"Itachi, what… How… where?"

Itachi smiles softly at her and she smiles back, confusion still apparent on her face. Trying to find her words again, Itachi hushed her and pets her head.

"Thank you," his voice echoed as he vanished. With a deep intake of air, Hibiki sits up, Suigetsu had lowered her to the ground, held in Suigetsu's arms.

"Hibiki are you ok?" he asks brushing some hair out of her face.

Nodding she turned to him and said: "I know where Sasuke is."


	30. Chapter 29: Where the Secrets Sleep

**Chapter 29: Where the Secrets sleep**

Hibiki gave the boys the direction they needed to go before hopping back onto Suigetsu's back. Not wanting to waste any more time, they ran at top speed, the tree's whooshing past as they moved.

"How did you find him?" Suigetsu asked as he propelled himself forward off a tree branch.

"I suddenly had a vision," she told him. Bringing up Itachi might get Suigetsu going, so it would be best not to mention him.

As they grew closer to the battlefield, the energy in the air became more and more charged. Suigetsu took a deep inhale, blood-soaked the area giving it the strong scent of death. Hibiki grimaced at the scent, it was a little too strong for her more sensitive nose.

"It's been a while since I've smelled this much blood. Kinda missed it." Suigetsu smiled remembering the days he spent killing people with his older brother.

"How are you holding up Juugo?" Hibiki asked.

"I'm alright, don't worry about me," he told her, Juugo forced himself to focus on Sasuke. If he let the environment affect him he would go on an uncontrollable rampage for who knows how long. As they moved out of the forest area and into a plain, Hibiki felt a tightness come over her chest.

"Slow down we're close!" she instructed Suigetsu and Juugo. Slowing down and coming to a stop. Hibiki was placed back on her feet. She pulled out her staff and used it as she wandered the area. Her eyes were closed and her brow furrowed. She searched for a few minutes before coming to a stop.

 _Yep, this is it_ , she thought.

"Juugo I need you to smash a hole in the ground so we can get into the cave," Hibiki called him. Juugo rushed to her side and set his sight on the place Hibiki was pointing her cane at. He nodded at Suigetsu who picked Hibiki up and moved back. Carefully positioning themselves, Suigetsu had his arm around Hibikis waist for support. She put her cane away and looked toward Juugo's direction. Juugo focused, raised his fist and demolished the ground under him.

"Nice work Juugo!" Suigetsu called over the noise of crumbling earth. The earth rumbled, vibrating under the trio's feet and collapsed in on itself, standing on large boulders as they fell into the dark cave. Suigetsu keeping Hibiki close to him. Once the rubble landed and began to pile a little Suigetsu grinned.

"Found you!" he called out to a startled Sasuke.

The air began to clear and Hibiki pulled away from Suigetsu, she slipped down two boulders and landed on the cave floor. With a fierce glare of anger and annoyance, she quickly approached Sasuke. Seeing her face Sasuke knew she was pissed, and she had good reason to be….

"Sasuke!" she scolded, her voice like a mother's when she confronted a misbehaving child.

"I know." He replied. She punched him in the arm, hard, becoming sore and bruised. Her face settled, getting her anger out in that punch, she sighed and said,

"Did you guys get to talk?"

"Yes," Sasuke said.

"Good." she finishes.

Suigetsu and Juugo hopped down and joined them. Juugo had a soft smile on his face happy to have his cage back, and Suigetsu had a somewhat friendly grin. Hibiki closed her eyes and smiled. She seemed to relax some. It had been so long since Sasuke saw a real smile from her.

"So tell me what's been going on," she said. Sasuke took a seat on one of the boulders while the other three encircled him. He went into a long explanation of the war, Suigetsu grew bored of the tale and looked around the cave, Juugo did the same, not caring about those outside his small circle of friends. As he concluded with his talk with Itachi Hibiki nodded.

"So that's what's been going on. You have no idea how horrible it's been not being able to see anything. And of course, I wouldn't be able to see reanimated dead souls! They don't belong on our plane of existence, I can't see their futures because they don't have them. And I'm guessing there were a lot of them running around." she complained.

"Is your precognition better?" Sasuke asked.

"I haven't looked into it yet."

"So how did you find me?"

"Itachi." She summarized. Sasuke nodded, knowing it was too much trouble to talk about extensively.

"Gross!" Suigetsu exclaimed from where he had wandered over to Kabuto's statue-like state. "This is kabuto eh, um what is coming out of his stomach, looks like a giant.." he panicked.

"You can stop there." Sasuke scolded.

"Don't think too hard on it Suigetsu, you'll give yourself nightmares" Hibiki warns him.

"Just leave him be," Sasuke said. Over in another area of the cave, Juugo investigated Anko's body. Finding her pulse he called to the others.

"She's alive." Hibiki could hear Sasuke taking a deep breath and letting it go in a long sigh,

"What do you want with me after all this time? Going out of your way to find me?" Sasuke asked the group.

"Right yeah yeah, that's the thing we found something incredible in one of the hideouts now where…" Suigetsu started walking to Sasuke, he looked in the pocket of his cloak.

"I have it Suigetsu" Hibiki called handing it to him. Juugo lifted Anko up and over his shoulder, he looked to Sasuke.

"You and Itachi stopped kabuto's endo Tensei jutsu right?" Juugo asked. "So why is Madara still here?" They all turned to Hibiki, who felt the tension she held her hands up in surrender.

"Don't ask me, I may be able to find corpses, but I can't help you if they move on their own," she told them.

"So it hasn't stopped… " Sasuke said to himself.

"Jeez, this conversation is jumping subjects too fast. Anyway, never mind that, here take a look at this". Suigetsu handed Sasuke the papers. He watched as Sasuke read it and the realization came onto his face.

"Right it's a mind-blower, now team taka can take over the entire shinobi world." Suigetsu chuckled darkly.

"This is it!" Sasuke exclaimed, "The one who knows everything." he stood and turned to the gaping hole in the ceiling.

"I'm leaving, I need to get out of here to meet up with someone," he told the three.

"Huh who?" Suigetsu asked,

"Orochimaru"

"What?" Suigetsu panicked at the sound of his name, "You killed Orochimaru, I wanted you to use this to…" he tried.

"Are you surprised that someone as resourceful as Orochimaru would not die so easily? And I'm willing to meet that piece of shit because there's something I need him to do. It's time to talk to the all-knowing." Sasuke said.

"I don't understand how you can talk to Orochimaru, who is this all-knowing person." Suigetsu asked.

"You don't need to know," Sasuke replied.

"Why is everyone so fucking vague in their answers!" he yelled in frustration. He then looked at Sasuke with a serious expression that was rare on his face. "I don't get it but anyway you can't! Orochimaru must never be revived. You plan to ask Orochimaru to help you control the power of the scroll right? You can learn to do it on your own. I know you can that's why I brought it to you." He yelled.

"There are still things only Orochimaru can do," Sasuke said.

"Listen you were Orochimaru's star disciple, correct, so why can't you.." he reasoned.

"Suigetsu you underestimate Orochimaru" Sasuke sneered.

"I do- don't underestimate him at all, you do! The only reason you defeated Orochimaru was because both his hands were rendered useless by the reaper death seal! You have always underestimated him you know even if he is revived he probably won't be able to use his arms still. But he'll still be dangerous he'll still want to take control of you. He'll want to be part of this war. He always wanted to destroy Konoha don't you remember. And that means team taka will get messed up in this war too. Is that what you want? We've now surpassed our masters this is our time, no one wants to see Orochimaru ever again, plus hasn't he caused us enough trouble." Suigetsu ranted. Hibiki hearing his distress takes and squeezes his hand trying to reassure him. Meanwhile, Juugo and Sasuke put Anko on the floor, Sasuke began to work on some signs.

"Suigetsu shut up, instead of talking dig out a piece of kabuto's body and give it to me," Sasuke ordered.

"Huh? You don't listen to me so why should I listen to you." he rebelled

"'I'll do it," Juugo said. Hibiki closed her eyes and furrowed her brows, she stood in Kami's room, watching the river flow. The war was getting serious, a ten tales beast would most likely be revived. Obito stood on its head, his spiteful face assured in his actions. Naruto stood before him.

For once in her life, she wished Naruto all the luck and probability in the world. Nothing good was going to come out of this. While her vision was still blurred around the ten tails, as well as in another area she assumed Madara was, she moved her focus onto Sasuke.

"Eh, so that's how it is? Are you really sure about this Juugo Orochimaru's return?" he tried to reason with him.

"I don't mind, Sasuke's will is Kimimaro's will, and I will abide by it," Juugo said feeling more assured in his actions. It had been a while since he felt confident in his movements.

"Hibiki is this a good idea?" Suigetsu begged. Hibiki frowned.

"Suigetsu, a lot is going on right now. As far as I can tell, having Orochimaru on hand is not the worst. Besides Sasuke needs him." she sighed. Suigetsu's mood worsened. Over by Kabuto, Juugo placed his hand onto Kabuto and took a piece of him in his hand.

"Ewww what is going on with all this?" Suigetsu cringed.

"That gross?" Hibiki asked, glad the subject was being glided by. Although it was sure to come up again.

"Your lucky your blind," he shivered.

"Its called sage transformation in my village, my transformation is also originally of this type, but in all of my clones, it called curse mark transformation" Juugo explained. The two surrounded Anko and worked on the revival. Hibiki could hear the snake, and then the slimy sound of Orochimaru's rebirth. Suigetsu shook slightly as he watched, he hid behind Hibiki, watching from over her shoulder.

"Suigetsu.." Hibiki tries to confront him. But she is interrupted by the familiar voice, making her shiver.

"Who would have imagined it would be you guys who facilitated my return!" Orochimaru smiled.

"Hi, long time no see… " Suigetsu greeted him. Orochimaru raises his eyebrow at the two, Not what he would have imagined happening.

"Orochimaru there is something I need you to do for me." Sasuke began to say.

"No need for details, I've been watching from inside Anko this whole time," he said to Sasuke.

"Then you know about the war too."

"Of course, and I have something to tell you Suigetsu," Orochimaru called. Suigetsu stiffened behind Hibiki. "I have no interest in this war. "

"Ha?" Suigetsu said surprised.

"Its someone else's war, the only thing I'm interested in right now is your body Sasuke."

"Well, that's nothing new," Hibiki grumbled.

"Hibiki, It's good to see you in such good health, although I'm hurt you didn't tell me about Sasuke's uprising." he pouted.

"Well you're fine so it doesn't matter now." she snapped.

"What is your intent meeting them?" Orochimaru turned back to Sasuke.

"There is too much I do not know, I want to hear about everything from them," Sasuke told him.

"Everything? There's no need to know it all, your still a child." Orochimaru said.

"Your wrong. I'm not a child anymore, I can't stay a child." Sasuke yelled.

"We may have had a child-like view of the world before Orochimaru, but you fixed that. While I can't say Sasuke or any of us for that matter are adults yet, we are not children." Hibiki sternly told Orochimaru. He eyed Hibiki with curious eyes.

"I want to know what started it all, what I'm supposed to be, what I'm supposed to do." Sasuke continued,

"Are you questioning your vengeance?" Orochimaru asked. Sasuke looked over at Hibiki, thinking over everything. Her voice of reason in his somewhat psychotic thoughts. "Not my quest for vengeance itself, after reuniting with Itachi my hatred to Konoha has grown even stronger, it's just I want to understand how even in death Itachi still considered himself a Konoha shinobi and care about and try to protect the village the dishonored his name… I want to know everything so I can finally have an answer. I need to see with my own eyes and decide with my mind what to do."

Hibiki smiled, Sasuke had grown up quite a lot. She felt proud of his changing perspective. Sasuke seeing it smiles slightly to himself, while Suigetsu frowns from behind Hibiki. Taking this answer Orochimaru turned and approached Kabuto, As the two stood near him Suigetsu panicked, picked up Hibiki and relocated to Sasuke's side.

"He's going to siphon kabuto's power and kill him." Suigetsu yelled.

"It's alright Suigetsu. He isn't going to hurt Kabuto. He's simply taking his chakra from Kabuto's body. Kabuto himself is left alone." Juugo explained.

"How are you sure?" Suigetsu questioned.

"Orochimaru is a lot of things, cruel, paranoid, sadistic," Hibiki began,

"I would stop there Hibiki" Orochimaru warned.

"Fine, but he does not kill those he finds useful. Besides, Kabuto- san's years of loyalty have earned him at least a little respect, Unless necessary he won't kill Kabuto-san." Hibiki finished.

"You're running your mouth much more than before, it seems your teammates rubbed off on you," Orochimaru observed.

"All right I'll help you out, come along, shall we be on our way." Orochimaru agreed as he finished regaining his chakra from Kabuto. The group walked back out to the real entrance of the cave and into the night. Suigetsu grabbed Hibiki as they began moving faster, rushing through the surrounding forests.

Then they all stop.

 _Wow, I'm not a sensory type and I can feel this Chakra_ , Hibiki thinks, _Naruto_.

"This chakra is…" Hibiki gasped.

"Let's go." Sasuke cut her off, "Hurry and lead the way, Orochimaru."

Turning away from the radiating chakra, they move on. Running until they come to a crumbling building,

"It doesn't look like anyone is using it," Juugo muttered.

"It's in shambles" Suigetsu said, putting Hibiki back on her feet.

"Well I suppose this is way outside the village." he thinks aloud

The group carefully ducked into the building, coming before a wall of masks. A few were askew, but most of them remained untouched.

"Which one," Sasuke wondered, taking in each masks detail.

"Hmm, let's see..." Orochimaru pondered, trying to remember.

"Middle row 6 from the left," Hibiki instructs. Orochimaru grabbed the mask Hibiki had referred them to.

"Always such a convenience," He smiled.

"This place gives me the creeps if you found it can we please get out of here?" Suigetsu asked. The building oozed an unwelcome atmosphere.

"Scared of ghosts?" Hibiki elbowed him.

"Well there were reanimated corpses not too long ago…" he pointed out.

"Good point." Hibiki nodded.

"Yes let's go, to where all the secrets sleep." Orochimaru agreed.


	31. Chapter 30 Kage's and Cowards

**Chapter 30: Kage's and Cowards**

Suigetsu and Hibiki held each other's hand tightly as they walked past the front gates and into Konoha. Suigetsu and the others had their hoods pulled up, so that their identities remained a secret. Hibiki was the only one whose face could be seen. She wasn't too worried about the dark, quiet streets of Konoha. Only certain shinobi might recognize her, but they were off miles away at war. The streets had a few people walking through them. A few very young Shinobi patrolled the streets, and any adult ninja still looked very young and inexperienced.

As they crept deeper into the heart of the village Sasuke looked up, he jumped off a few roofs and up onto a water tower high above, getting a larger view of the village.

"What's up with Sasuke?" Suigetsu asked, watching him take in his surroundings.

"He's just like me before operation destroy Konoha," Orochimaru said, he looked at Sasuke with a distant look, remembering his own experience seeing Konoha with different eyes.

"How so?" Suigetsu asked, stumped.

"Even if both he and the village have changed, this place is still his homeland, where he was born," Orochimaru explained, "He needs some time to reconfirm his decision and resolve, through immersing himself in sentimentality, and retracing the past."

"Huh I see, so does that mean you're over it already?" Suigetsu followed up. "The whole immerse yourself in sentimentality to affirm your resolve to destroy the Leaf thing."

Orochimaru pondered this as Suigetsu continued, "Hey, come to think of it, we were all your cream of the crop subordinates, right? And now we're inside of the Leaf. All the strong ones are gone because they're away fighting. Isn't this a perfect opportunity for you?" he finished.

"Hmmmmmm, Perhaps, Except for one thing." Orochimaru replied, "You're no longer Hebi."

Before Suigetsu could consider his words Sasuke had returned,

"Let's go," He ordered, the group moved on and as they got closer to their destination, the buildings were replaced with demolished ones.

"This is from the aftermath of pain's assault." Hibiki frowned while kicking a piece of lumber away. Suigetsu watched Hibiki's sad and guilty face. She still blamed herself for missing it. But before he could say anything they arrive at a large ornate stone. Sasuke performed the proper seals and watched as the stone moved away.

"You use a Jutsu to remove the entry stone," he smirked.

"There's not even a trace of the Uchiha's Nakano Shrine," Orochimaru commented.

"The exterior doesn't matter. What's important is what's beneath." Sasuke corrected them.

"Let's go." The group descended the stairs into the underground shrine. Every step they took echoed off the walls, growing louder as they moved deeper. Fire erupted in the lanterns and lit their way. Hibiki felt nauseous. They were doing something that was wrong. She grew increasingly reserved, walking slower than the rest. Suigetsu a few steps in front of her looked back at her worried face. He walked back up and caressed her face softly, the others growing more distant. She looked toward him, unsure if she should go further.

Seeing her so hesitant and unsure was strange, and he pondered what to do to make her feel better. As much as he wanted to return to the surface with her to wait for the others, he had the most annoying feeling that Sasuke needed Hibiki with him down there. And he knew she wanted to be there for Sasuke. Internally swearing to beat the hell out of Sasuke someday, he kissed Hibiki's forehead, held her hand tightly and began to hum her mother's song. Soft appreciative smile touched Hibiki's lips before her grip grew tighter on Suigetsu's hand and she hummed along with him. The two moved quickly and caught up with the others at the bottom.

Inside the chamber was two small fires glowing warm and bright on either side of a stone tablet with writing on it. They approached and stood by Juugo.

"I will start then," Orochimaru said stepping up to the tablet, "Stand back," He warned as he donned the mask. Ice ran through Hibiki's veins as she thought of their journey here. While still moving through the forest Orochimaru had explained the procedure.

"To do what is written in that scroll, first you need the mask of the shinigami, you can find it in the Uzamaki's clan's temple on the outskirts of the village. Then you must let the shinigami of the shiki fuujin possess your body to make it come out. If it cuts your stomach the seal will break. But I will need to be sacrificed for that. This will allow me to get my arms back from inside its stomach," Hibiki shuddered as Orochimaru cried out in pain as he cut his own stomach open. Her skin crawled as he called out "They're back!"

"If I can recover my arms, I will be able to use the Edo Tensei and summon those four, of course, I am sure you know I will need 'something' for that."

"Ahhh you're planning on using us as sacrifices ain't you!" Suigetsu had exclaimed.

"That's not a bad idea but there are better options even though you can't see them…."

"Juugo, Suigetsu, Sasuke get ready!" Orochimaru called as Suigetsu moved away from Hibiki.

"Yes," Juugo agreed.

"Juugo give Sasuke the hermit power of the curse seal, by doing this zetsu who Tobi had used to watch over Sasuke, will respond to the chakra and come out."

Loud crashing and banging pursued as four of the 6 zetsu in Sasuke were held down as sacrifices while Juugo and Suigetsu held the remaining two. Orochimaru proceeds to complete the action, escaping his dying body and taking over the Zetsu Suigetsu held down.

All the air left the room as four soul-shattering screams erupted from the four zetsu, Hibiki's body went rigid. Her skin crawled like a thousand insects scuttered up and down it.

Suigetsu was able to return to her in enough time to keep her from falling. She looked ill and terrified. Which he couldn't blame her, watching the 4 hokage emerge from the zetsu's wasn't the most pleasant sight or sound. Keeping one arm around her to hold her steady he turned his attention to the others.

Before him, in the place of the Zetsu stood four glowing corpse-like renditions of four men.

"This is the first Hokage? The man who was said to be the god of shinobi. The real Hashirama?" he questioned.

"What did you expect to see?" Hibiki asked, "a glowing angel?"

"It just it's very underwhelming, considering how much this guy was built up."

The four men opened their eyes and took in their surroundings.

"This Orochimaru guy again?" Tobirama sneered when he recognized the man.

"What do you mean?" Hashirama asked his brother.

"He probably removed the seal of the shiki fuujin that was trapping us. And then he used the End tensei." the third Hokage speculated.

"How did he manage to remove that seal? Orochimaru-san how did you do it?" The fourth asked.

"You're underestimating me Minato." Orochimaru smiled. "Originally it was a sealing technique of the Uzumaki clan. After losing my jutsu, I've been studying the ruins and documents of the now lost clan." Hibiki huffed a bit, she had been the one who searched for months for those stupid ruins. The Uzumaki clan had been very good at hiding their secrets.

"Lord First It appears we've been recalled into the world of the living," Minato explained to the man.

"Who the hell are you?!" Hashirama exclaimed.

"Oh, uh The Fourth Hokage, sir," Minato said, pointing at his back.

"Oh? The Fourth Hokage, you say? I see! So, the village has remained stable." Hashirama chuckled happily.

"Well, I'm not actually sure if it has or not. Because I died and was sealed away much earlier than Lord Third." Minato bashfully told him.

"Huh? Is that so in a separate incident than when I was sealed away with Sarutobi?" Hashirama asked.

"Yes, a completely separate incident," Minato confirmed.

"So who's the Fifth Hokage?" Hashirama asked again.

"Your granddaughter, Princess Tsunade," Orochimaru said holding a smile back.

"Tsuna, huh? Is the village okay?" Hashirama grimly worried.

"Is there something to be worried about?" Minato asked.

"She was my first grandchild, so I spoiled her rotten! In the end, she even picked up my gambling habit." The first burst out laughing.

"The Reanimation Jutsu again? I can't believe the Jutsu I devised would be used so casually." Tobirama commented, appalled.

"It's not a complex Jutsu. However, you should not have created it in the first place. Lord Second many of your policies and jutsu that you developed ended up causing problems later on down the line" Orochimaru argued.

"Even now? Why you! Are you planning on attacking the Leaf again?! I took away your jutsu in exchange for my own life. Yet you still-! And this time you revived me, your former master, to pit me against the Leaf!" Lord third accused.

"Conflict, no matter what the era." Hashirama shook his head. "It certainly cannot be called that great a Jutsu. Tobirama, that's why I told you that time to listen to Hikari!" He scolded.

"Will you be quiet, big brother? I am trying to talk to this stripling right now." Tobirama ordered his brother.

"But I…"

"Shut up!" he demanded again. The first pouted a little.

 _So not dignified for the God of Shinobi!_ Suigetsu thought, and from Hibiki's annoyed groan, she must have been thinking the same thing.

"Please do not misunderstand. I don't have any more leanings in that direction. Haven't you noticed that I'm not suppressing your personality? There are certain circumstances at play this time. I'm merely creating a stage for discourse per his strong desire." Orochimaru said motioning to Sasuke.

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha and I want to ask you Hokage some things." Sasuke chimed in

"Is that you Sasuke?" Lord third peered at him.

"You belong to the Uchiha? Of course, you'd stick with a scoundrel." Tobirama sneered.

"Tobirama! I told you to stop saying such things!" Hashirama scolded again.

"You're too soft, big brother!" He argued back.

"Never mind me. Lord Third, why did you make Itachi do what he did?" Sasuke demanded.

"So, you've learned what happened." Lord third sadly exhaled.

"I killed Itachi to avenge the Uchiha Clan. Afterward, I learned the truth from Tobi and Danzo. And I leaned towards swearing vengeance against the Leaf. However, I want to hear it straight from your mouth." Sasuke growled. Guilt, anger and internal confusion showed on his face. He looked to the side at Hibiki, closed his eyes, took a breath and continued his conversation.

What preceded Hibiki heard from what felt like underwater. She knew what they were saying but had a hard time focusing on a single voice. She placed her back on the wall and slid down it, her stomach rolling. Suigetsu went to her side and held her hand as the others continued to speak. Hibiki wanted to listen in but she felt too sick and weak to pay attention. Her ears were filled with the sound of a trickling river, she could barely make out Suigetsu's voice. But she did hear him beside her for some reason. The only thing she would feel in her underwater world was Suigetsu's touch.

The Hokage and Sasuke finished talking and began to move to the exit. Suigetsu gently tried to wake Hibiki, but she didn't open her eyes. Panic filled him but it only got worse when Orochimaru bend down on Hibiki's other side and checked her pulse.

"Her pulse is a little fast," he said mostly to himself.

Hashirama stopped in his tracks when he saw Orochimaru and the Shark kid looking over a young girl. She seemed so familiar; He grabbed his brother as he moves to the exit.

"What is it?" he asked. Harashima pulled Tobirama along with him to the girl.

"She looks just like her right…" he said to Tobirama. He glanced at the girl and a rush of memories struck him.

"Hey, Kid!" Hashirama called to Suigetsu. He looked up at the two and was a little terrified, but he kept himself glued to Hibiki. Moving unconsciously, he hid her slightly from view.

"Uh yeah?' he stuttered.

"That girl what's her name?" Harashima asked, trying to see Hibiki from behind Suigetsu.

"Hibiki."

"No, her clan name." he corrected himself. Suigetsu eyed him suspiciously, as he began to ask why they needed to know, Orochimaru spoke over him.

"Omoikane," he told the two kage. Excitement filled the first Hokage's eyes. The second Hokage was plaster faced but some strange emotion sat somewhere deep in his eyes.

"A crystal girl just like Hikari," he exclaimed. "She looks just like her!"

Tobirama examined the girl a little closer, "I wouldn't say exactly like Hikari, but I do see the similarities." he corrected his brother. "Can she also see the future?" he asked.

"Yeah." Suigetsu confirmed.

"That's not good then. Hikari always hated my edo tensei, said it messed with her head, a crime against nature, disrupts the flow of time…"

"We need to wake her up." Hashirama added.

"I'll use a seal that Hikari taught me that will help limit her Foresight to prevent us from making her so sick," Tobirama instructed. Suigetsu picked Hibiki up and the group ascended the stairs and reached the outside.

With a deep gasp, Hibiki sprang up into a sitting position. The air was clearer, and she didn't feel as sick as before.

"Suigetsu?" she asked.

"Yeah right here," he assured her.

"Are the zombies gone?" she asked.

"No…" Hashirama pouted a little hurt. "Me and my brother knew your great grandmother, Hikari, and we know how the Edo Tensei can cause you problems. We placed a seal that will limit your foresight, so us zombies won't bother you much."

"Grandmother? Her name was Hikari?" Hibiki asked, surprised.

"Yes, and you look just like her." Hashimara smiled.

"Well, you look similar to her." Tobirama corrected.

"What do you mean? What did she look like?" Hibiki asked.

Tobirama thought for a moment, "Like an angry hamster." he answered with a serious and even tone. Suigetsu, Hibiki and Hashirama gave the second Hokage a strange look, that he ignored. With a pat on her shoulder, the second Hokage walked to were Sasuke, Juugo, the Third and Fourth, and Orochimaru were standing. Hashirama followed quickly after. Once they were out of earshot Suigetsu leaned in close and whispered to Hibiki.

"Look we got to go, Four super-strong zombies and three monsters! If I tag along, I'm dead for sure! I'm making a break for it when I see a chance!" he shuddered a little. Not in an argumentative mood, Hibiki agreed to follow along. Helping Hibiki to her feet, he began to walk backward with her, creeping away from the group.

"This view brings back memories!" Hashirama exclaimed. With a quick movement Suigetsu no longer stood beside her. A loud splashing like noise replaced him.

"What the hell?!" he yelled as he was being beaten by Karin.

"It's you, after all, Sasuke! I sensed your chakra and I couldn't believe it, so I backtracked and look what I found!" she continued to stomp on Suigetsu's liquefying body.

"Karin. Oh my, so many of my best experiments gathered here in one place!" Orochimaru smiled like a father at a family reunion.

"You bastard! I'll never forgive you!" she yelled at Sasuke, as she continued to wail on Suigetsu.

"I'm sorry, Karin," Sasuke says casually, feeling a little bad for Suigetsu.

"You bastard! As if a simple apology will get you off the hook you good for nothing…" Karin slowly sputtered as she gushed at Sasuke's face.

"I see you still have a weakness for Sasuke, Karin" Orochimaru smiled as Karin battled with herself.

"Sasuke had the gall to stab me. Lord Orochimaru!" Karin tattled to her formally dead boss.

"What a coincidence. Me too. But I'm helping Sasuke now. This is perfect timing. You help too." he sarcastically told her.

"What?! I guess I have no choice…" she sputtered again, blushing and rubbing up against Sasuke affectionately. (although Suigetsu though it was more obsessive.)

"Orochimaru why did you decide to help Sasuke? You were trying to destroy the village." The Third asked Orochimaru, a question that had been burning him for some time.

"After being inside Kabuto, I realized something he imitated the way I lived and tried to possess everything and failed. So now, I'm just curious about the different path Sasuke has chosen. Unlike Kabuto, Sasuke didn't copy me." he explained. As the Kages reminisced on their personal head cliff carvings, Karin breaks away from Sasuke and goes to Hibiki. She had just got Suigetsu on his feet again when Karin shoved him out of the way, coddling Hibiki.

"I have been so worried about you! And I see you busted these losers out of prison, but why didn't you come for me?" she pouted, keeping Hibiki firmly in her arms.

"Did you really need any help, Karin?" Hibiki asked.

"Fair enough," she giggles. After a few more moments of absorbing her beloved Hibiki, she scurried off back to Sasuke's side. Bending over and taking Suigetsu's arm, Hibiki him up onto his feet.

"You okay," she asked petting his head.

"No," he grouched.

"We have to go to war now," She reminded him.

"These people are going to kill me."

"Maybe." she smiled, moving her hand to caress his cheek.

"Yeah that's really comforting Hibiki," he mumbled as he leaned into her hand.

"Let's just be careful."

"Let's? You are not coming." he frowned, taking her wrists into his hands and holding her still.

"Yes, I am, I'll use my front sight and help in any way I can." She told him. He groaned in disapproval, he wanted to demand she stay in a safe place, that she waits in a hotel or something until he came back, but he knew Hibiki wouldn't listen to him if he tried to argue. He sighed giving in, he took her hand in his and lead them to the group. As they approached, Orochimaru stood at Hibiki's side.

"You two have become close," Orochimaru commented, "You know Hibiki, there are plenty of guys who aren't as cowardly as him."

"I know, but he's my coward." she smiled.

"Hey," Suigetsu took offense.

Plans were briefly discussed before they split into two teams. From what Hibiki picked up, the Hokage, Sasuke, and Juugo where to go to the front lines through a fast-moving Jutsu. Orochimaru, Karin, Suigetsu, and Hibiki were going to run to the location at a slower pace. Before Sasuke turned to leave Hibiki grabbed his shoulder, he looked down at her, her face solemn.

"Sasuke, I've never really expected anything from anyone, I could always tell whether they would or wouldn't do something. But right now, Sasuke, I'm expecting you to fix this mess. I expect you to end the war and come back alive." she ordered.

"I know," he replied.


	32. Chapter 31: Into Battle

**Chapter 31: Into Battle**

Four blurred figures moved across the land at a hurried pace. Silence sat between them as they ran. Keeping their focus on locating the dying Kage before it was too late. Although they could reanimate them if one was to perish before they arrived. With the war going on, there were plenty of corpses littered on the ground to use. Hibiki couldn't help but think of how Orochimaru would get a kick out of resurrecting Tsunade and might let her die just so that he could do it. But time was scarce and Hibiki knew Orochimaru wouldn't waste what little of it they did have.

Hibiki ran alongside the other three, Her Left eye opened and focused displaying the world to her. That man and Haruto's memories of running flooded her mind. She used the memories to keep her movements fluid. Using just enough chakra to propel herself forward. With her attention so split she would often get close to slipping into the old ghostly images, and into another life. But she turned her attention to Suigetsu every time she felt herself drifting, bringing her back to her current life. Every time she looked at Suigetsu who ran closely next to her, She couldn't help but smile proudly to herself. How long has she wanted to do this? To be apart of the team and not just a tool for it. How much she loved running beside Suigetsu, an equal. His hair had gotten longer, the wind blew it away from his face. A cruel smile spread across his lips, the smell of blood and death strong in the air. A soft blush touched Hibiki's cheeks.

"Damn it! Why did we branch off from Sasuke? This wasn't the deal!" Karin complained as she ran on Hibiki's other side dragging Hibiki from her thoughts… Karin continued to mumble harshly to herself. Her cheeks turning red as her hair from anger and the cold stinging wind. As much as Hibiki was against it, Karin was vital to healing the kage.

"I thought you were still pissed at him," Hibiki said playfully.

"I am!" she yelled back before mumbling harder. Hibiki laughed.

"There they are," Orochimaru called, the group landed nearby and looked over to where many slugs slurped around.

"Look at the sorry state you're in, Tsunade." Orochimaru shook his head. In the place where the usually youthful Fifth was supposed to be, was a wrinkled old woman who barely clung to life.

"Gross A gigantic slug. How much salt would you need to take it down?" Suigetsu faked a gag as he asked aloud.

"A lot probably," Hibiki answered. Although she was never one to actively harm innocent creatures without reason, the idea of slugs reactions to salt was interesting. Although she would not normally be able to witness the aftermath.

"That's just one part of Katsuyu that was summoned from Shikkotsu Woods. I'd say it's pretty small." Orochimaru examined the scene speaking aloud mostly to himself. This was one trait Hibiki hated particularly about Orochimaru. She never really minded people speaking aloud to themselves, she often did it herself, but something in the way Orochimaru spoke to himself was ... haunting.

"You don't say." Suigetsu said, thinking of how big it could get.

"I thought we were here for the Five Kage, not the slugs. Lord Orochimaru, stop paying attention to Suigetsu and get to the task at hand." Karin snapped wanting to finish her job as quickly as possible.

"Are you that upset because you couldn't stay with Sasuke?" Suigetsu teased.

"That's not the case! Let's just do this. Damn you, Suigetsu!" Karin yelled at him, her fist raised.

"Why are you picking on me? Doesn't everyone who sees a slug want to sprinkle salt on it?" Suigetsu defended himself.

"Usually no, we're just sadistic Suigetsu." Hibiki smiled, Suigetsu snickered a little.

"Tsunade first! Let's go." Orochimaru ordered as he emerged from his dialogue, leading them down to where the Hokage was bleeding out.

"Lady Tsunade! Wait, was the Hokage always a granny?" Karin grimaced. The elder lady did not look particularly well. Her skin was loose but she was also very bony, her collarbone and ribs sticking out excessively.

"Ugh, It's not like she had a long torso either, right?" Suigetsu squatted looking at the few feet that separated the top half and the bottom half of the women. He stuck his tongue out in disgust.

"She's been cut in half, Looks like something you would do huh Suigetsu?" Hibiki nudged him.

"Yeah, but I don't stand around and gawk at their bodies, besides my victims die, she's still breathing." he shivered.

"It seems you were reckless, Tsunade," Orochimaru commented, speaking mostly to himself again.

"Orochimaru?" A larger slug asked, turning its attention from the dying women to them. She instantly puffed out her cheeks like she was going to spit at them.

"Katsuyu I came here to aid the Five Kage. I'm not an enemy." Orochimaru held his hands up. Pulling a 'sincere' face.

"I have no reason to believe you. Besides, you were dead!" She argued, Still defensive. And Hibiki didn't blame her. She wouldn't trust Orochimaru either.

"If I do anything that strikes you as suspicious, you're welcome to kill me once and for all with your acid." Orochimaru bargained. The slug thought for a few moments considering the few options she had. Although Orochimaru probably still had some tricks up his sleeve, so that even if he was killed, he wouldn't be dead.

"All right. I'll believe you." she gave in resentfully.

"You're quite sensible, unlike Manda." Orochimaru sighed.

"You know Manda died right?" Hibiki asked. The two looked at one another, and for a moment Orochimaru had a shadow of sadness in his eyes.

"Yes I know." he paused. "Now then First of all, where are the other Kage?" he turned back to the slug.

"They're recovering inside my fragments. They sustained serious injuries, and it's very.."

"But Katsuyu With you here, why is it taking so long for them to heal?" Orochimaru interrupted.

"I can only use my power in response to the strength of Lady Tsunade's 100 Healings. But Lady Tsunade is extremely weak right now, so I'm not able to activate my strength fully," she explained.

"Is that how the system worked?" he wondered. "Anyway, for as long as I've known her, I've never seen Tsunade so weak. So it must be true." Orochimaru shook his head at the fallen women.

"I am trying to persevere and focus on healing, despite the Summoning starting to unravel. That's why I haven't been able to properly reattach her body." she continued.

"Suigetsu, bring Tsunade's lower half and join it to her upper half," Orochimaru ordered.

"Huh?! I'm better at cutting things up," he complained. But with a look from Orochimaru, he complied. Using his liquified body to suspend her lower half and safely bring the two pieces together. "Ugh, The slugs are all slimy and wriggly. Gross!" he shivered.

"It always a surprise what you find gross." Hibiki sighed, going to Tsunade's head, lifting it into her lap, the women coughed, Hibiki wiped the blood from her face.

"Well, so are you, Suigetsu! You're grosser and weirder because you have a human form!" Karin argued. Her bad mood only got worse, so any excuse to yell and belittle Suigetsu was taken.

"Karin , Let her bite you so that she can heal," Orochimaru ordered trying to make them focus.

"What? I don't want anyone but Sasuke biting me" she refused.

"Hah! You just admitted you're in love with Sasuke!" Suigetsu laughed.

"You're wrong! How could I hate, I mean, like that damn Sasuke? He tried to kill me And it was irresistible" she contradicted herself.

"No, it wasn't! You were covered in bite marks long before Sasuke bite you!" Suigetsu argued.

"Shut up! Right now, I'm exclusively for Sasuke" she argued back.

"Don't be so defiant, you denture mold model. Besides, how does your body work anyway? You're the weird one." he yelled.

"What? Say that again!" Karin snapped. The two get into each other's face, anger radiating between them.

"You two Make it snappy. You're both weird. So stop fighting. Or else I'll have my snakes ties you up and crawl into your mouth and possess you." Orochimaru demanded, his long tongue hanging down making his threats more powerful. Orochimaru was the weirdest of the lot.

Suigetsu carefully fixed the two halves, leaving only a small seam around her torso. Karin pulled up her sleeve, Hibiki helped the kage bite down onto her. She looked up to Karin, who looked back. They smiled softly at each other. Hibiki was going to do something nice for her once this was all finished.

"She's taking so much, I might end up aging into a hag," Karin complained as she restored her youth and healed her body. And With the slugs aid, her two halves connected again. Suigetsu backed off now that his assistance was no longer needed.

"Lady Tsunade, you're going to be alright!" the slug happily exclaimed.

"Tsunade, be a little grateful to me." Orochimaru smugly told her. She groaned a little as she touched her torso.

"You betrayed the village, So why all of this now?" Tsunade asked as Hibiki helped her sit up.

"The range of things that interest me has expanded. In the past, I wanted to become the wind and turn the windmill myself. But now, I know the pleasure of waiting around for someone else's wind." He cryptically smiled. "One that is unpredictable. And I don't want that wind to get sealed away before I can enjoy it."

"You still don't make any sense. But I suppose you've changed a little. I never imagined you would save me." Tsunade sighed as Hibiki helped stand her up. She was still a little off balance and Hibiki couldn't blame her.

"Even that is possible. Do you remember? The Three-Way Deadlock from that time?" Orochimaru asked. Tsunade had a thoughtful look and the two shared a state of reminiscing.

"People can change. Or they die before they do. It's one or the other." Orochimaru told her.

"Although he died without changing. He probably trusted you until the very end." Tsunade smiled sadly. "Orochimaru If you were like this sooner, Jiraiya might not have had to die."

"And if I had Jiraiya might have changed too." he sighed. "Like how it was for us, the Legendary Sannin, things don't always go the way you want them to. We're not made of stone. Distortions will appear somewhere. Perhaps that's why I want to observe Sasuke's future." Orochimaru said. "While patiently waiting for his wind to blow."

"Fine. I thank you for helping me heal" Tsunade gave in. She gained her balance and Hibiki backed away joining Suigetsu, their hands clasping.

"So do you know about the war?" She asked.

"Of course. That's why I'm helping you out like this." Orochimaru shrugged.

"How long have I been like this?" Tsunade wondered, looking into the distance where the battle waged on.

"I can report on the battle situation." the slug said.

"How did you end up on the front?" Tsunade wondered before realization snapped onto her face. "Oh! I see Sakura must have summoned Katsuyu!" Tsunade proudly realized.

"Around now, a new Three-Way Deadlock is probably making their debut," Orochimaru said.

"What?" Tsunade asked.

"Well, we're heading back. You should work on healing the other Kage." Orochimaru ignored her. "Hibiki what are the current coordinates of Sasuke and the others, Give me whatever information that you can."

Hibiki closed her eyes and furrowed her brows, she found the fuzziest location and relayed the coordinates. "It's the third Hokage's location. I assume that's the one we need to go to."

"Good, let's go." Orochimaru finalized. the group turned away and ran off, leaving Tsunade with the unconscious kage.

The run to the battlefield felt exhilarating. Both her other lives had a certain thrill when fighting. Hibiki couldn't deny her excitement when she rescued Suigetsu and Juugo, but she thought that was just adrenaline. It felt different from the deaths of those she put into Orochimaru's clutch. They had no warning, no way to fight back, but when face to face, blade to blade, they could fight back. Guilt did not flood her as she killed and maimed the men who stood before her. They had just as good a chance as she had.

 _Suigetsu's rubbing off on me_ …. She thought.

As they grew closer the sounds of battle became louder, the taste of blood in the air. Carefully the group arrived, the Third stood watching the scene with intensity. Hibiki closer her eyes and settled herself, wiping the blood on her face before Suigetsu could notice.

"This giant tree is closely connected to Obito They're like limbs that suck out chakra," he reported to them. "We can't approach carelessly."

"Such words of weakness. So very unlike you. Sarutobi Sensei." Orochimaru teased.

"Orochimaru You're late What of the Five Kage?" he asked.

"I had them healed. So as long as they don't bow out, they should becoming." Orochimaru said.

"As sarcastic as ever, I see." the third sighed.

"Sorry I'm late, Jugo! Sasuke!" Suigetsu called to the two waving at them.

"You're here." Juugo acknowledged. With the groups presents seen by Sasuke, Suigetsu took Hibiki's hand again,

"This tree is huge now that I see it up close. I wonder how long it'll take to cut down?" Suigetsu wondered peering up at it.

In the chaotic sound of war, Hibiki could hear the faintest toon. A song of sorts?

"What did you say?" Hibiki asked Suigetsu.

"I asked how long it would take to cut the tree down," he repeated.

"Yeah right, forever probably, that's a bit too thick for just anyone to saw through."

"Who cares about that?! What's important right now is..." Karin mumbled off, a devious look on her face.

"Is to heal the Allied Forces shinobi, right?" Suigetsu finished for her.

"Y-Yeah! I know that already, damn it!"

"Look, Karin Isn't that Sasuke's Curse Mark patterning?" Suigetsu distracted her before she could begin to wail on him.

"The Curse Mark is supposed to have lost its power Sage Power is the source of Jugo's Curse Mark. And with Sasuke, back when I experimented with injecting Jugo's chakra into him, he immediately unleashed the Curse Mark. So it's not surprising for Sasuke's Susano'o to adapt to Jugo's chakra in a similar fashion. In other words, you could call it a Sage Jutsu Susano'o." Orochimaru clarified.

"Maybe I'll go over there too," Karin thought aloud.

"You'll only be in the way. You'll get stabbed again." Suigetsu teased. Karin quickly began to beat on him, Hibiki stepped away slightly as to not get caught in it.

"Orochimaru are you simply going to stand by?" the Third accused.

"I have nothing to gain from this war. But Obito fulfilling this dream would be equivalent to ceasing all my precious experiments. I simply cannot have that." he told himself

"Then lend us a hand." the Third yelled.

Orochimaru ran off with the third, Karin finally stopped beating Suigetsu and watched the war in a huff. Hibiki took Suigetsu's hand back. Karin gave a relay of what she could tell was going on. A struggle between Naruto and Obito, a tug-a-war.

Suigetsu grew a little bored, he sat down onto a rock and pulled Hibiki with him setting her in his lap and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"You're a bit too relaxed," Hibiki said.

"Well I have to be here, I'm not doing shit unless I have to, so until then I'm just not going to care about anything other than me and you not dying." he sighed.

The ground rumbled a few times, shaking with large heavy impacts into the earth. Karin still gave her best play by play, but they were a good distance from the center and many roots blocked the view.

Hibiki jumped to her feet, Suigetsu and Karin quickly rushed to her side.

"What's wrong?" Karin asked gently placing her hand on Hibiki's shoulder.

Hibiki just stared blankly forward.

"Hibiki?" Suigetsu worried voice echoed in Hibiki's ear.

 **AN: writer's block and school starting. I am just horrible recently. The next few chapters may also take more time to write, Ill upload as soon as they are done but be a little patient. Hopefully, it will be worthwhile, the Infinite Tsukuyomi can change the world.**

 **Also, I was reading my naruto official character data book and mine keeps referring to Suigetsu as Kisame …. I can't stop laughing. Poor Suigetsu overshadowed by his senpai.**


	33. Chapter 32: Black Veins

**Chapter 32: Black Veins**

As if a boulder had been lifted from her shoulders, as if every cloud cleared from the sky, the world suddenly felt lighter and clearer than it had ever been before. Hibiki didn't think, once the burden was lifted, she instinctively closed her eyes and furrowed her brow. Inside Kami's room, there was no clear beginning or end, a black abyss surrounded her in all directions, infinitely stretching in every direction. Besides herself, there was the bright glowing river of life energy that caused the flow of time. As it moved it divided into infinite streams of possibilities. Somehow the river's liquid seemed brighter than before, now it felt somewhat blinding.

Carefully she placed herself above the current time and dipped into the river, falling into the reality it held. She moved about the battlefield and stumbled upon Madara, He should have been a blur, he should have blurred everything around him but He was a clear clean image before her. It all made sense now, Madara was human.

Unlike the cautious and calculating Itachi, or the oddly knowledgeable Obito who hid their motives skillfully in the shadows of the actions of those like Naruto. Madara had no intention of hiding anything. He was an arrogant ass who was so confident that he was unstoppable at this point, that anyone knowing his plans wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Unbeknownst to him, Hibiki was determined to make sure his hubris would be his downfall.

With the world so clear, even the remaining reanimated Hokage did very little to warp the world she saw. They reacted to Madara, and with Madara being human, this opened many doors that were closed for so long.

Taking her time, Hibiki walked through the current status and the next most likely events to occur. Sweeping over the battlefield and taking in every detail. The location of everyone relative to one another. She found Sasuke, and Naruto, she checked the positions of Orochimaru and Juugo, Both who seemed to be retreating to their last location. She found the positions of Madara and Obito. With an area so big it was hard to organize her thoughts. So many variables countered each other, so many people moving at once. So much going on at a single moment. Somewhat overwhelmed Hibiki backed off and sat by the Rivers edge. Everything she had so desperately wanted to see was right before her yet the information meant little.

She had watched as people died, Sakura and the Hyuga Girl, she watched countless limbs being lost. Karin could lose a leg, Suigetsu could lose an arm, Juugo alone had the possibility of losing 3 different limbs in one scenario. She saw Sasuke and Naruto both die a hundred different ways. The handful of small happy occurrences included Kabuto-san escaping his genjutsu. He seemed happy, no longer possessed by the idea he had no identity. Beyond that only destruction prevailed.

As she contemplated her options something odd caught her eye. Dread ran through her, as her thoughts halted. She slowly turned her head hesitant to see what caught her eye. Close by an odd black line ran in the shadow of the glow of light from the river. It was dim and hard to see, but something was there. She approached it slowly, cautiously, as if it were going to attack her. As she hovered over it, she watched it closely. The black line pulsed and liquid flowed through it.

Hibiki reached for the line, she shook slightly as she did so. She was afraid for some reason. But to her shock, her fingers collided with a solid surface, the black line far beneath. It was a hard surface and was cold like ice. She had never encountered such a thing before, and after a moment of thought, neither had Haruto.

 _This isn't right_ , she thought. She was split, indecisive of what to do. Every inch of her body told her not to pursue this, to pretend to have never seen the line, Haruto would have advised against digging deeper. But a small voice, a whisper told her to dig. Doing this would probably have consequences on her body, serious ones. Could she afford to do something so reckless? Suigetsu would tell her to stay away, to come back. She wanted to get away from this line as fast as she could, that her life was at risk by simply being near it. Hibiki took her hand back and moved away from the line.

Dig

A whisper in her ear,

Dig

It echoed through her.

Dig

Clenching her fist, knowing she was going to regret this, she turned back to the Black line and sat before it once again.

DIG

She began to claw at the ice shavings slowly started to manifest. She worked hard at it, the ice was thick, her fingers felt like small pins were pricking her. She dug harder into the ice, her nails chipped off but she kept working at it. She grew more confident as she dug into the ice, Slowly she made an indent in the ice, she continued until she was 2 inches down. Shaking from the cold, ice running through her veins, she made a fist and began to slam into the dent she made. Why she was doing this she could not say, it was like the whisper was apart of her now, telling her what to do. Her hand throbbed as she punched it for the hundredth time, the thousandth time before a crack finally appeared. She worked her arm into it, painfully leveraging it open just enough to shove her arm further down. Buried to her shoulder, she used what was left of her nails to scrape the rest of the way to the stream.

It was sudden, blurs of images and events rushed past her, Blood, death, the woman in the moon, the tree, the fruit. Hibiki was only momentarily able to access the stream, but what she saw, terrified her, blood drained from her body. Whatever this stream was, it was beyond probability, this was manipulation.

Hibiki's eyes fluttered open, warm arms held her close, Ringing flooded her ears, nausea rushed over her. Biting her lip until her hearing slowly returned.

"Hibiki!" he begged. Regaining her senses only made her feel worse. Her nose must have busted from the blood that dripped down her face. Her ears felt wet, and her arm throbbed. She felt like ice, she shivered as the arms wrapped themselves around her more.

"Suigetsu?" she chattered. Her head split in half.

"Oh geez,," he sighed in relief, "Hibiki for fuck's sake what the hell was that?" he asked. She shivered violently in his arms as Karin examined her body, just as scared as Suigetsu.

Hibiki had suddenly stood up then passed out, Karin watched as she grew cold, then her nails deteriorated, bleed and broke off. Her nose burst out blood, her ears dripped. It was almost as if she were having a violent seizure. Worst of all was the sudden snap of bone, her arm breaking for no visible reason. Both Suigetsu and Karin stared in horror. Juugo and Orochimaru both appeared while she was going through this fit, both looked just as dumbfounded.

"I saw something, someone, The black stream, the thick ice, Sasuke…" she gasped. Karin did her best to bandage Hibiki's arm, while Suigetsu cleaned her face off. Slowly she seemed to regain her composure but was still in a daze.

"Pick her up, we need to move." Orochimaru instructed as he watched the battlefield.

"I don't think we should move her," Karin said.

"Then abandon her body here." Orochimaru said. Suigetsu picked Hibiki up in his arms and followed the group to a new location, hiding strategically behind a boulder. As they moved Hibiki came around, she was placed on the ground when they arrived.

"Juugo," she whispered.

"What?" he answered, sure he wasn't going to like what she had to say.

"I need you to give me chakra," she told him.

"Why?" he asked.

"I need more energy to search for the cause." She explained.

"No, you need to rest," he told her before Suigetsu could.

"You don't understand," she told him.

Hibiki looked exhausted and beaten. In her eyes lay an emotion Juugo couldn't quite place. But something about it made him sure she needed to do whatever she needed to do.

"Do it fast," he said. She nodded.

Before Suigetsu cold protest Hibiki fell back into Kami's room. She slowed her breathing and listened for the heartbeat. The soft rhythmic sound she knew from Haruto's memories and lessons suddenly had the slightest murmurer. Haruto had never heard the oddity in his life, so it must have been well hidden.

But now that she knew what she was looking for, she could hear it, the oddity in the heartbeat. She reached in and after a moment of searching, she found it. It was a thin and inky vein coursed through the strings infecting everything around it. She braced herself before grabbing hold of it with her good arm. When she did finally take it in her hand, she was overwhelmed with what she saw.

Hibiki gasped as her eyes snapped open. She was leaning against the boulder the group now hid behind. Suigetsu hands held her face and could tell that her heart was beating a mile a minute. Thankfully her body temperature was almost normal again causing Suigetsu's hand to feel cool again. As she came to her senses she began to freak out. She shoved her hair away from her face, clutched a wad of it before pulling at it. She leaned forward onto her knees and doubled over. Her thumb clenched between her teeth, she rocked slightly as she began to mumble to herself, squeezing her brain for anything she could do.

"Hibiki what is it?" Karin asked, placing a hand on her shoulder, concerned about the erratic behavior.

"I saw it, the big picture, the whole plan, everything. It's bad, really really bad. And far more complex than I would have ever imagined. This goes back centuries! I need to do something, but what? How…" she wondered aloud.

How could she possibly sway the future when it was so set in stone yet changing every moment. Kaguya was going to return, but the aftermath varied. What would be the best choice? She had so few options. Give in? Let fate finally kill her like everyone else in her clan, in her family? Run around the battlefield and try to place people in specific locations with instructions on what to specifically do? How would she ever be able to convince anyone to be chess pieces and sacrifice themselves when the time came?

Suigetsu sat in front of her and placed his hands on her quivering shoulders.

"Hibiki honey, you need to take a breath." he told her as he caressed her face. His cold touch pulls her from her thoughts and takes a few deep breaths. Without hesitation she quickly pulled Suigetsu into her, wrapping her arms around him tightly and her chin on his shoulder.

"I don't know what to do, Suigetsu I… I know everything but I can't do anything." she whimpered. "Why am I so useless?" Suigetsu returned her hug, cradling the back of her head with his hand.

"I know you hate not having control but maybe this time you don't do anything. You cannot save the world Hibiki, it's not your job." he told her, rubbing her back. Haruto's voice rang through her, repeating her grandmother's advice.

"I can't do nothing," she said.

"Then find someone who can." he assured her.

She pulled away, Suigetsu was holding her face again, their foreheads connected. He began to hum the song her mother use to sing. Exhaustion catching up to her she leans into his hand.

War however, was still going on and their momentary peace was gone when the earth rumbled, the ground vibrated with impact. Nearby an enormous wood statue was summoned, Suigetsu pulled Hibiki back against the rock to hide from view as Orochimaru studied the new development, calculating their next move.

Hibiki placed herself back into her front vision, her gut told her she was in immediate danger. She silently promised herself a whole month of nothing but sleep if everything ended up working out. A small cry turned Hibiki's attention to Karin who began to cry, now it seemed to be her turn to have a breakdown.

"That's a lie… such a thing would…" Karin whimpered.

"Shhh. Your too loud." Suigetsu snapped.

"What's wrong?" Juugo asked. Hibiki took Karin's hands and tried to look her in the eye.

"Sa….Sa…" she stuttered.

"Did something happen to Sasuke?" Juugo asked.

"It seems like it would be in our best interest to get this over with as quickly as possible," Orochimaru interrupted. Karin finally made eye contact with Hibiki, and she knew what must have happened.

"Sasuke is really going to die..." She whispered. The two shared a determined look before they both stood and charged the statue. Karin led the way manifesting Adamantine Attacking Chains, ripping the statue up,

"I need to get to Sasuke! Move it asshole!" She screamed as she propelled forward. The white zetsu lunged forward and thrusted his stick into Karin, making it multiply it points and stabbing right through her. Juugo grabbed the bleeding Karin from the air, as she quickly bit herself to heal as Suigetsu, who saw Hibiki was next to be hit, follows up her attack with his Water Gun: Two Guns technique, blasting the Zetsu and destroyed part of Tobi's head revealing someone inside the clone. Stunned, Hibiki was able to swat him away with her staff, forcing him into Orochimaru's path. He paralyzes white zetsu with a bite. With the enemy momentarily incapacitated, they rushed past the Statue.

"Are you all right, Karin?" Juugo asked as they ran.

"Yeah but never mind me. Sasuke! I can't sense Sasuke!" Karin worried. Juugo let Karin go, she took the lead and ran off in Sasuke's direction. As they grew closer Karin gasped.

"Who's there?! There's someone elsewhere Sasuke is." she revealed.

"Do you recognize the chakra?" Orochimaru asked.

"No! But," she started.

"But what?" Suigetsu asked, irritated.

"This chakra has a real nasty feel to it!" she panicked.

"Then we need to hurry even more. We don't know what this stranger might do to Sasuke." Orochimaru told them.

"Probably nothing worse than what you would do to him." Hibiki said.

"Is this the end for him?" Orochimaru wondered ignoring Hibiki.

"Damn it," Karin yelled. She ran faster now jumping and propelling forward.

"Karin! If you up the pace too much, you're going to collapse soon." Orochimaru warned.

The rest had a hard time keeping pace with Karin, her adrenaline giving the boost of energy the rest did not have. Hibiki bit her lip, wondering if everything was going to work out. Would Sasuke pull through? It was possible for him to die before Kaguya shows up… An odd feeling told her that he wasn't going to die, not like this at least. As they grew closer an image formed, something stood above and unconscious Sasuke.

"Who is that guy?!" Karin asked as they slowed. "Hey you, I don't know who the hell you are, but what are you doing to Sasuke?"

"Oh, so that's what's going on Huh?" Suigetsu said.

"It was you Kabuto." Orochimaru smiled.

"Kabuto san!" Hibiki happily called to him. Kabuto Looked up from Sasuke, seeing the group arrive.

"I sensed a group rushing this way. It was you, after all, Lord Orochimaru." he said.

"That's Kabuto?! His chakra is different! Even his appearance." Karin awed.

"He has taken in the chakra of many people, even Senjutsu chakra. It's no wonder even you thought he was someone else, Karin I wonder if his chakra had a nasty feel to it because he still has some of mine inside him?" Orochimaru wondered.

"Get away from Sasuke, you brainy jerk!" Karin yelled.

"What brings you here, Lord Orochimaru?" Kabuto asked ignoring Karin.

"I should ask you the same thing." Orochimaru countered.

"What are you planning, Orochimaru?" Kabuto eyed him suspiciously.

"Kabuto Don't tell me you're going to absorb Sasuke? And would that make you Kabuke or Sasuto?" Suigetsu jokes, all this serious atmosphere was starting to bug him. Hibiki sighed, with Kabuto-sans aid, Sasuke would surely pull through, unless something odd happened like a meteor crashing into them, which at this point Hibiki did not rule out.

"You're the one who did this to Sasuke?! You bastard!" Karin accused.

"Suigetsu I don't desire to do that anymore. Nor am I going to steal Sasuke, Karin." Kabuto said. From the looks on everyone's faces, Hibiki seemed to be the only one to trust him at the moment. Kabuto smiled slightly; she did always tend to trust him.

"Sasuke's chakra! I can faintly sense it! No way! Kabuto You're helping Sasuke?" Karin gasped as she rushed to Sasuke's side. Hibiki followed quickly behind, she sat on her knees next to Kabuto, while Karin sat on the opposite side, not wanting to be near Kabuto.

"With my Medical ninjutsu and much-tinkered cells of Hashirama, along with a certain someone's suggestion, I managed to stop him from dying." Kabuto explained.

"He's right." the second Hokage spoke up. He was laying on the ground a few feet away, rods pinning him in place, leaving him unable to move.

"Well, well if it isn't the man I most respect the Second Hokage, Lord Tobirama Senju." Orochimaru teased. "However, Kabuto you being here means that you were able to slip out of the infinite loop set up by Itachi's Izanami?"

"You're right. I was unable to acknowledge myself; I didn't even know who I was. That allowed you to give me easy answers and use me. Making me lose myself even more. If you're not satisfied with what you've had so far Just find other things and add them onto yourself one by one. But with that jutsu, Itachi made me realize that I am none other than Kabuto and where my home is." Kabuto monologues.

"Does it seem like the person inside has changed too?" Suigetsu asked Hibiki as he squatted next to her.

"That is the jutsu known as Izanami. The jutsu is set up so that you cannot undo it until you reflect upon yourself and accept who you are. Sasuke Now I hope from the bottom of my heart to not lose my home. And Itachi, who wanted to protect Sasuke even unto death His feelings have pierced through my heart strongly." Kabuto continued.

"Hey! Isn't it a little too late to say things like that? You teamed up with that fake Madara! You guys started this war!" Suigetsu complained.

"You're right. Both Obito and I thought we'd lost our place in this world. And dragged everyone else into this. But, I now know who I am. And what I must do." Kabuto smiled.

Kabuto then finished his work on Sasuke, pulling away and waited for him to come too. His breathing which had been labored seemed to become easier. Still worried, Karin made Sasuke bite her to help rejuvenate his chakra supplies.

Everyone was silent as they watched Sasuke. Slowly he stirred, opened his eyes, and slowly sat up. As he regained his senses Hibiki relaxed and let her Front vision go. She was far past her limits, she felt exhausted and weak, her ears rang, and she felt sick. She couldn't even keep herself sitting up. Suigetsu caught her and held her as she barely kept conscious. She heard murmuring, Sasuke was talking to someone.

Sasuke….

To do this she was going to practically die, but with Kabuto-san there she had a better chance of surviving. She couldn't do anything, with all this knowledge she was useless, but Sasuke was the one person she trusted who could do something.

Suigetsu's going to be pissed…..

…

I glanced behind me as the others caused a ruckus, I could feel her life slipping away, but I had bigger responsibilities, besides Hibiki would be pissed if I prioritized her over the war. She had placed her trust in me. I wasn't going to let her down. As I turned to leave, the smallest voice called out to me. A voice I knew far too well came from the deepest place in my soul, it was weak but clear.

Sasuke I'm using every last bit of my life to tell you that I know what should happen now. I'm sorry that Naruto is still a variable I cannot account for. But for once in your life, listen to me, she's coming, I can't do anything but give you these images…. Sasuke…

 _I know_. I thought. I could feel her smile, and just before her presence faded a flash of the future rushed in my mind. I could barely keep up, but I got her message.


	34. Chapter 33: Return to Reality

**AN: It's been a while, and I'm sorry, between school and some medical issues I haven't been able to do any writing. I will try and get back on a schedule soon. So, with my writer's block, the problem I have been having has been the infinate tsukuyomi dream, so I'm skipping them for now. They will have a lot of information including some spoilers so they will be made but probably not until the series is over. There is still a lot to come so please stay tuned for more! PS I updated the story and some changes have been made, nothing too big though.**

 **Chapter 33: Return to Reality**

The last remnants of a good dream flowed loosely in the back of his mind, he tried to reach for it, desperately wanting to see it again, but it slipped from his grip every time. Growing dimmer and fuzzier with each failed grasp. His head ached and his body felt sore like he had just awoken from a long and oddly positioned sleep. Not wanting his headache to worsen, Suigetsu peeked through a slit in his eye, checking to see how bright the world was before he opened them fully. It was dark, but with a greenish tint overlapping the environment. He rubbed his face and tried to remember what he was just doing. The last thing he could recall was her sitting right next to him, she was blushing, and... the memory slipped away again. He reached over beside him to feel for Hibiki. When he had touched nothing but a smooth leafy surface, he felt the groggy fog of sleep strip off him as he panicked. His eyes snapped open as he felt in front of him only to be halted by the substance again. Without thinking he used his fist to burst through the substance peeling open an exit.

The sudden introduction to the bright sun forced him to squeeze his eyes shut as he sat up. Suigetsu slowly opened his eyes again, the light was blinding, burning his eyes. His head began to throb, and he suddenly became nauseous. From his sitting position, his eyes slowly adjusted, using his hand to block some of the light he looked down seeing he was sitting in some kind of organic wrap. Like a cocoon.

He slowly stood, and stepped out of the wrapping, taking a few shaky steps before stopping and scanning the area. All around him where similar cocoons, all with humans inside. Some of the shinobi were already out and helping others, some stood and looked as dumbfounded as he felt. Everyone looked just as disoriented as Suigetsu. Above him, the tree's branches shriveled away before dying. Disintegrating from existence. The trunk of the tree still stood tall in the distance, it too looked like it was quickly dying.

Turning around he found Kabuto and Karin nearby emerging from their cocoons, and a little past them was Juugo and Orochimaru. Suigetsu carefully scanned the area, searching for any sign of her but couldn't spot Hibiki. Panic reaches him as he began running around the cocoons, ripping open closed ones to try and find her.

Karin slowly stood, she felt as if the world was spinning. The bright light blinded her and made her head throb. It took a minute for her vision to adjust but once it did, she wish it had not. The first thing she saw was Suigetsu who looked distraught. Karin grimaced, and turned away. She took in the scenery and not long after seeing Orochimaru and Juugo, did she feel her stomach drop.

Hibiki

She quickly joined Suigetsu in the search, anxious to find her.

"Hibiki!" Karin called out, she waited, straining her ear listening for an answer, any answer. But nothing came. Karin began ripping open cocoons like Suigetsu, and every so often she would call out to her. Not long after the whole party was searching for Hibiki.

After a good 10 minutes of searching, Juugo spotted an unopened cocoon that lay closer to the tree's base. Suigetsu and Karin raced to it. Normally the two would have been more competitive, but with their confusion concern over Hibiki, they barely noticed each other.

Suigetsu slid in the dirt, like a baseball player slide into home plate. He grabbed the cocoon and ripped it open. He sighed, finding Hibiki was a relief but it also brought on new anxieties.

Her face was flushed from a fever and her breathing was labored. Slow and uneven. Sweat spotted her forehead as she seemingly burned from the inside. Her broken arm was black and blue, and her fingers were covered in dried blood. Suigetsu strained to remember what had happened before waking up. He had a strange dream, one that was quickly fading from his memory. Before that…

…

 _As soon as Sasuke turned and left, Hibiki had suddenly collapsed. As if he took all her energy from her as he rushed off to god knows where. Suigetsu caught her just before she hit the ground, and upon seeing her feverish state he called out to Kabuto. Kabuto was quick to respond, he knelt next to Hibiki who was cradled in Suigetsu's arms._

 _Karin was the last to notice something was wrong. Her attention focused on the direction Sasuke had run in. Her Sasuke whom she loved but hated had almost died and was now off to fight a seemingly endless battle. She wanted to run after him but, she would probably just get in the way. Karin clenched her fists and turned around, ready to get the hell out of dodge. She turned around and found Hibiki passed out in Suigetsu's arms, Kabuto fussed over her, Orochimaru and Juugo stood out of the way. With Sasuke still on her mind, she ran over to Hibiki._

 _"She has an incredible fever," Kabuto shook his head._

 _"She's dying, I can feel her chakra leaving her, what do we do?"_

 _"Has this happened before." Kabuto asked._

 _"Many times." Karin and Suigetsu said in unison._

 _"What was the solution then?"_

 _"Rest and some medication for her fever." Karin answered._

 _"Hmm" Kabuto wondered._

 _"Karin…"_

 _"On it." she answered, and without hesitation or regret she helped Hibiki bite her arm. She supplied her with chakra, her live teetering on the edge. Then a bright light appeared in the sky._

...

"Is there a hideout nearby? One that has the supplies to help her?" Suigetsu asked. He carefully ripped the cocoon open exposing Hibiki more.

"There is." Orochimaru said as he approached.

"We should get her there as fast as possible." Karin agreed.

Orochimaru watched the two interact without bickering or fighting, it was… disturbing. Suigetsu and Karin had never gotten along. They fought like cats and dogs every time they were near each other. Maybe it was their young age that caused them to be such children, and maybe this was a sign of them growing up. It both impressed and interested him. Orochimaru gave Karin Directions to the secret hideout and Suigetsu gingerly picked Hibiki up. With a nod he and Karin rushed off, Juugo and Kabuto followed closely behind. Orochimaru stayed on the battlefield, he would go to the hideout later, for now, he wanted to observe.

The group ran as fast as they could. After about an hour they reached their destination. It looked like just a mound of earth, inconspicuous and would normally go unnoticed. Karin formed the signs allowing a hole to open in the earth, it was a tunnel. Karin slid in first falling deep in the earth before coming to a stop at the bottom. She formed another few signs turning the facility on. The tunnel led to a small room with very little inside, past the archway Karin could see a hall. She ran down it, passing a kitchen and a bathroom before coming across the first bedroom. Inside was nothing but a bed. She could hear the others slide down the tunnel.

"Suigetsu! Over here!" she called out. Suigetsu showed up with Hibiki still unconscious in his arms. He carefully placed her on the bed. Once she was out of his arms, Karin Shoved him out demanding a long list of supplies. He rushed off climbing back up the tunnel and taking Juugo with him to go get the supplies. Kabuto came into the room with a tray cart holding all the surgical tools they would need. They began to carefully assess her very carefully.

Hibiki had the highest fever Karin had ever seen, it seemed to upset Kabuto just as much, it was dangerously close to being hot enough to cause brain damage. She was also dehydrated. They hooked her up to some IVs with saline solution. It was all they had at the moment. Hibiki's body sucked the bag dry in a matter of minutes, they had to replace it.

 _That was the only other bag we have; the asshat better be back soon_ Karin thought.

Karin stripped Hibiki to her underwear, replacing the clothes with a hospital gown. Kabuto began to examine her many wounds. Some were close to reopening and a wound that had been seared shut, obviously in a rush job, needed to be properly examined and stitched. Who knows what organs were damaged?

After an hour and a half Suigetsu and Juugo ran into the room with two large bags full of everything Karin had asked for.

"Thanks, Juugo, Asshat." She sighed, diving into the bag and handing Kabuto different things.

"Always a bitch," Suigetsu scoffed.

"Juugo take him out and keep him away from us," Karin told him.

"Yes," He answered, picking Suigetsu up and dragging him out the door, closing it behind them.

Another few exhausting hours went by before Kabuto walked into the kitchen, Suigetsu and Juugo sat at the table. Kabuto took a seat with them, exhausted.

"Well?" Suigetsu asked.

"Well, she had a serious infection, was dehydrated, had no fingernails, a broken arm, a high fever, and multiple wounds that needed to be properly fixed. She's doing better, we did everything we could for now, some rest and periodically applied medication and antibiotics should make her just fine." Kabuto announced. "Karin is just changing her clothes," he finished.

They all sat in silence for a few minutes before Karin came into the room, she too took a seat resting her chin on the table.

"Is there any food? I want to eat, take a shower and go to bed." she asked.

"No, I will need to go get some, does Hibiki still have the money?" Juugo asked.

"Yes, it's in her pack." Karin confirmed.

"Why don't we just go raid a few houses for food?" Suigetsu asked.

"Well we just robbed a hospital, so I think we've stolen enough for today." Juugo answered. Suigetsu rolled his eyes.

Over the next few days, very little happened. Kabuto checked on Hibiki a few times, and once he decided he was happy with her condition, he excused himself. He left for Konoha. Orochimaru stopped by, saw Hibiki then left himself. Karin was able to get herself some new clothes, a few hot baths, and a full stomach. Suigetsu stayed by Hibiki's bedside watching over her as she slept. Her fever slowly coming down.

A week after the war was over Karin went out to get intel on what the hell happened. She came back and gave the boys a basic rundown but stopped and teared up.

"...and Sasuke is in prison now." She sobbed.

Suigetsu burst into uncontrollable laughter, falling out of his chair, Karin sobbed as she tried to beat the crap out of him, they went on for a few minutes before Juugo grabbed them by the back of their shirts, pulling them apart,

"Suigetsu, remember we are all wanted criminals right now. Karin escaped from Konoha, we escaped from the samurai. So, we should be thankful that we aren't in jail ourselves right now." He reminded him, dropping the two on their feet.

"Yeah yeah, I know. Man, what are we going to do now?" He wondered.

The three took their seats again and began to worry over what they would do. Go back to Orochimaru? Go back to their villages? Where was Juugo going to go? Does he really want to be back in captivity again? Did Karin want to try and break Sasuke out of prison? Did Suigetsu want to go back to Orochimaru? Could he even return to the mist village?

...

Hibiki's eyes slowly fluttered open. She sat up and tried to remember what was going on. She had the most beautiful dream, full of everything she ever wanted. She remembered her mother and father; did they really look like that?

Slowly she came back to the real world, she looked around, finding herself in a hospital gown, had her arm in a caste and was attached to some iv's. She was in a bed, the walls were made of earth, so was the ground. Where was she?

They she heard them, Suigetsu's voice rang in her ears. She got out of bed, taking her IV pole with her she wobbled out of the room and down the hall to Suigetsu's voice.

She found her friends all in a kitchen, they sat around a table, looking rather depressed.

"So are the last survivors living underground now or am I dead?" She asked.

The three stood up and turned to her voice, relief, and happiness on their faces.

"Hibiki what are you doing out of bed?" Karin asked rushing to her and hugging her.

"I woke up in this dirt place and followed the sound of your voices." she said hugging Karin back with her one good arm.

"This is one of Orochimaru's hideouts, we've been staying here while you recovered. But we can talk later, now let's get you back into bed." Karin smiled, gently guiding Hibiki back to bed. She checked her wounds and told Hibiki the extent of her injuries. Soon Suigetsu came in and Karin left while mumbling curse words. He pulled up the chair that was in the corner and sat next to Hibiki, he took her good hand and held it.

"So, are we mole people now?" She asked.

"No everything's fine outside. Sasuke and Naruto stopped Kaguya." He smiled at her.

"Oh, good, I would have kicked Sasuke's ass otherwise." She sighed.

"Where is he?"

Suigetsu hold his laugh, "In jail." he struggled to say. But when Hibiki burst into laughter he joined her.

"It ...hurts ...to ...laugh" She said in between giggle fits.

"You're not upset?" Suigetsu asked as they calmed down.

"No, him being in jail means he's finally reflecting, it's a good thing." She told him.

It seems that bastard Naruto has done the one thing I could never do. She thought.

A soft peaceful smile rested on her face,

"So the three of us were just thinking about what to do next, you know being fugitives and all." Suigetsu told her.

"Oh, good question." Hibiki remarked.

Before they could talk further Karin came into the room with hot food, she kicked Suigetsu out, wanting some time with her friend.

"You know about Sasuke huh, I could hear you two laughing all the way down the hall." Karin glumly said.

"Yep, don't be too down, I'm sure he won't be in there for long." Hibiki told her between bites of food. The Solid food felt good in her empty stomach.

"Do you have any ideas of what to do next?" Karin asked.

Hibiki sat back on the bed, chewing a bite carefully, she slowly swallowed,

"Yes actually, but I want to talk to Sasuke first."


	35. Chapter 34: Sakura

**Chapter 34 Sakura**

It was January 15, over 3 months ago, the shinobi world was at war. A brutal battle that felt like it lasted for eternity but, it was only 3 days. So much had changed over the last few months, a mass funeral was held a few days after the war for those who perished. Lady Tsunade announced her retirement and Kakashi was announced as the successor. His inauguration was planned to happen in August. Naruto was a hero not only in the Hidden leaf but all over. Everyone knew his name and revered him. Not long ago he was a monster, feared and hated by the village. Although he was famous now, he still held onto his goofy self. That made everything feel normal for her.

Sakura Haruno stood at the entrance gates of Konoha, she watched the clouds move overhead. It had been a light winter so far, but snow was forecasted for the next few days. Even now a cold wind whipped her hair around her. A shiver ran through her, but she stayed put and waited,

 _How much longer?_ She wondered, checking her watch. It was 1:45. She paced a bit before checking her watch again. 1:46.

The guards at the gates watched in fear as the pink-haired woman seemed to grow even more impatient as the minutes ticked by. She continually checked her watch every few seconds, and after the hundredth time, she did it she let out an irritated yell. They all looked away knowing a pissed Sakura was a dangerous one. Taking in a few calming breaths she tried to relax.

A few weeks ago, she received a letter,

Sakura Meet me at the Konoha village gates at 2:00. Hibiki

The memory of that night plagued her. She had Sasuke so close, yet he was beyond her reach. The girl who took him away, the girl who told her to never speak of the event. Questions circled in her head for weeks until the war began, it provided a distraction, and only now that she had received this letter did those memories come flooding back. What had made her trust that girl? In the moment it felt like the right thing to do but who was she? Was it really ok that she let Sasuke go? What would have happened if she took Sasuke back with her then? When Naruto had awoken later in the hospital, his memories were fuzzy. He remembered seeing Sasuke and followed him into a building… after that everything went dark. Sakura told him that he was in a fire and that he must have hallucinated Sasuke.

 _Luckily Naruto believed me._ Sakura thought. She hates lying to him, but she still couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth. Why? What made her so confident in her choice to do as Hibiki told her?

As Sakura thought about everything over and over her head began to ache. She focused forward, scanning the area for any sign of her. Her watch read 1:59.

In the distance a small figure approached the gates, as it grew closer, she could see the figure had a cloak with the hood pulled over their head. Sakura watched intently as the figure moved closer, a staff extended before it, sweeping the ground in front of them as they walked.

 _Just some blind person…_ Sakura sighed.

She looked around for any other sign of life. Where could Hibiki be? Was this a trick? Was she stupid to have come out here? Right now, all she wanted was to talk to Hibiki, to find out who she was and why she helped Sasuke. She was in the dark when it came to Sasuke, this girl could help bring her closer to the light. Sakura turned around with disappointment flooding her when she was tapped on the shoulder.

"Yes?" She answered turning back to the figure.

The figure pulled their hood off to show the girl she met months ago.

"Hibiki?" She asked surprised.

"Hi, you must be Sakura." She sighed in relief, "I'm glad I don't have to go searching for you."

Sakura looked over the girl, she looked just like the one she had met, but her eyes were different. "Hibiki… your blind, did the fire cause it?" She wondered.

Hibiki smiled, "No I was born blind."

"Wait, In the fire, you could obviously see though."

"It's a long story, but can we go sit somewhere quiet, that walk was exhausting." Hibiki asked, clearly avoiding the question.

"Sure…" Sakura agreed. _Might be better if we were alone anyway._ She thought.

Hibiki reached out and after a moment of searching she took Sakura's waiting arm and the two wandered off into the village.

The guards at the gate watched them leave, a blind girl wasn't much of a threat, and she knew Sakura, plus Sakura was already in a bad mood so the guards let it pass. They didn't want the gate to be destroyed.

Hibiki stuck close to Sakura as she led them through town, the bustling streets were packed tight. Wanting to be alone with her Sakura lead Hibiki past the busy streets and up some stairs to a park that overlooked the village. Few people were around, only a small playground nearby had some children playing in it, and a jogger running past every so often, but it was as quiet as they could get. Sakura took them to a lonely park bench.

Hibiki sat and sighed, she took off her cloak and the backpack that hid underneath it, setting them both down beside her.

Sakura stared at her, comparing her memories to the person in front of her. She seemed to have grown a bit since they had met, her eyes looked empty and unfocused. Her hair was pushed back from her face by a headband. It had grown some too.

The two sat in silence for a while, neither knowing how to start the conversation.

"So, your blind?" Sakura asked. Feeling a bit rude to say it but she had to break the ice somehow.

"Yeah, I was born blind." she answered.

"That night you could see though. Your eyes look so unfocused now but that night they were… I don't know… there?" Sakura asked, explaining herself as best she could.

"That was a special case," Hibiki frowned.

"So why are you here... I mean not that you're a bother but why come now?"

"Well I'm actually here to see Sasuke." Hibiki admitted.

"Oh. He's in prison." Sakura informed her.

"I know."

"He usually isn't allowed, visitors. I'm not even allowed to see him." Sakura frowned.

"I understand that, but I do need to see him. There's a lot we need to talk about." She explained.

"Oh. I don't think I can help you." Sakura rejected her.

They sat for some time, the sky began to darken, and the streetlights came on. Flakes began to flicker down from the thick clouds above.

"Sorry you came all this way for nothing." Sakura sighed, she stood about to leave when a gloved hand stopped her.

"I'm sorry, this isn't easy for me to say these things outside of my small circle. I don't know you so I can't tell you anything but there is so much that you probably need to know." Hibiki explained.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.

Hibiki hesitated and looked confused and sad. She was having an internal battle with herself. Sakura took Hibiki's hand.

"It's getting late, let me take you to a hotel and I'll come back in the morning." She compromised.

"Alright."

The streets had cleared some as the snow began to fall and everyone retreated to their warm homes. A few blocks from her house was a small inn, Sakura took Hibiki here, dropping her off. Hibiki waved goodbye before entering. Sakura stood there, somewhat frozen in place. This girl, she was a stranger and she had the balls to ask for such a big favor. Sakura barely got to see Sasuke in jail why should she be allowed to? She slapped her cheeks with her hands,

 _Get it together, there's no need to be so mean._ She told herself. With her cheeks red and stinging and the temperature dropping further by the minute, Sakura dragged herself away from the front of the hotel and towards home.

Inside her house was warm, the scent of dinner wafted from the kitchen. Sakura took off her shoes and jacket walking further into the warmth.

"I'm home!" Sakura announced as she walked into the kitchen. Inside her mother stood over the stove making stir fry.

"It smells great mom." she sighed.

"It's almost done, can you set the table?" her mom asked. Sakura nodded and did as she was told. Over dinner her parents shared their long days at work, Sakura barely paid attention, eating her food rather quickly before excusing herself and going to bed.

 _What now?_ She wondered as she fell asleep.

The next day Sakura woke up to a winter wonderland. The fresh snow covered Konoha, no tracks were left in it yet, giving it a ghostly feeling. Reluctantly she got ready and left to pick Hibiki up. Would she be able to learn anything today?

At the hotel Hibiki stood by the entrance waiting, they grabbed some breakfast before wandering back to the park they had visited the previous night.

Again, silence filled the air between them. There was a huge barrier between them that Sakura didn't know how to break down. If it were real, she could just punch it, but something told Sakura that hitting Hibiki wasn't going to solve their problem.

Hibiki took off her gloves and felt her palm, mindlessly making patterns on it with her finger. Testing her sensitivity.

"How are your hands?" Sakura asked seeing them.

"Good thanks to you. I can still mostly feel, the palm isn't like it used to be but…" She trailed off.

"Can I see?"

"Sure." Hibiki agreed allowing Sakura to study her hand. She ran her figures over the course skin. They looked like they hurt,

"I never thanked you for being there." Sakura said. "If you weren't there, I don't know what I would have done. An impossible choice between my loyal friend and the boy I love." She softly smiled.

"I was just there for Sasuke, if you didn't come, I would have just left Naruto behind." Hibiki admitted.

"Still, they are both safe."

"Yeah good thing too, without Naruto the whole world would have ended." Hibiki jokes.

Sakura smiled. "Why couldn't I take Sasuke with us? Why couldn't both of you come with us?" She finally asked. They sat for a minute as Hibiki chose her words.

"I can't say everything, but Sasuke wasn't meant to go back with you, I guess you can say he was destined to face off with Itachi. Well actually I'm unsure what would have happened, but in the moment, I knew one thing, I needed to save my friend." Hibiki explained.

"That doesn't answer why you took him with you." Sakura frowned.

"No, it doesn't. Just know that Sasuke facing off with Itachi was very important," Hibiki tried again.

"I don't understand why you can't tell me anything." Sakura said, her voice growing more intense.

"Look," Hibiki sighed, "I'm a lot like Sasuke, we share a similar burden. This burden, my burden is a very sensitive situation, no one can know." She paused in thought, "Well, some of those who do know, I trust on a very deep level. They will never betray me. There are many who do know and want to do horrible things to this world and can and will use me to do them. I don't want to be a pawn anymore Sakura. I'm tired of being used. I'm tired of living scared and tucked away. Living life like I don't belong in it. So, I want to be a part of the world again, but I need to talk to Sasuke first before I can begin to be more than a pawn. Please Sakura I need your help," she begged.

Sakura looked at Hibiki's hands again, that night she could have run away, but she chose to take that bar in her hands. She may not like Naruto, but she was so much like him, unwilling to give up. Right now, she seemed lost, and almost like she wants to run and hide. But the fact that Hibiki wants to change, reminded Sakura of herself. Sakura squeezed her hands.

"Ok. I'll get us in."


	36. Chapter 35: Jailbird

**Chapter 35 Jailbird**

 **I found some fan art of mermaid Suigetsu recently, it seems a lot of people came to that conclusion lol.**

Hibiki tapped her foot as she stood outside of the Hokage office, she could hear the murmur of a conversation. Sakura was speaking to Lady Tsunade and Kakashi in the attempt to get Hibiki in to see Sasuke. As time dragged on, she began to chew her lip. This was it, if she couldn't get in to see Sasuke the right way, she would have to break in. And that wasn't the plan she wanted to follow.

A few days earlier Hibiki was still exhausted from the previous month's consistent use of her abilities. Even thinking about maybe using it gave her a headache. She couldn't use her foresight to sneak in to see Sasuke. She had to do things the old fashioned way.

Hibiki sat on the side of the bed as Karin unwraps her arm.

"It should be healed, but don't do anything rash," she warned.

"Yes, ma'am." Hibiki smiled, sticking her tongue out a bit. Karin smiled and patted her head.

"So why do you need to talk to Sasuke before you tell us your big plan?" She asked.

"Yeah, why?" Suigetus asked as he walked into the room and took a seat next to Hibiki.

"I just need to talk to him. Make sure that he is ok." she lied.

"No way, that's what it is." he caught her.

"Suigetsu…" Hibiki began,

"But I'll let it go," he sighed. "You two have a weird relationship." He commented.

"Not as weird as the one you and Hibiki have." Karin gagged.

"Shut up bitch," he grumbled.

"Whatever asshat. I'm going to go shower Hibiki." Karin informed her.

"Alright," she said.

"Gross," Suigetsu gagged. Karin punches his face on the way out. He liquified on impact and slowly solidified again.

When Karin closes the door behind her Suigetsu takes Hibiki in his arms and hugs her tight, resting his head on top of hers.

"So how are we going to get to him? Since he's in jail and all." He asked.

"Not we, me. I'm going in alone." She told him.

"No," he instantly shot the idea down.

"Before you object, I'm the only one whose face is not well known so I can go in casually." She reminded him. He was still wanted by the samurai, allies to shinobi of the leaf.

"Fine but how will you get to him?" He inquired.

"I know someone on the inside I can ask for help."

"Who?" he wondered. A small voice in the back of his mind objected to her knowing some mysterious person.

"Her name is Sakura, we met once and I'm hoping she will help me." She told him.

"And if that doesn't work?" He asked, the small voice settling back, satisfied it wasn't a guy.

"Guess I will have to break in." she shrugged.

"If the Sakura thing doesn't pan out, come back and we will break-in."

"Deal." she sighed leaning into him.

Lady Hokage opens the door and finds Hibiki waiting across the hall. She leaned on the wall with a nervous look on her face.

"So why do you need to see him?" Lady Hokage asked.

"I just need a few minutes, you can listen in if you want."

"I asked why you needed to see him. What is it you need to tell him?" she asked in a firmer voice. Hibiki rubbed her arm a bit.

"It, I just need to ask him for a favor, for when he gets out." She hesitated.

"And you can't ask him later?" Kakashi asked.

"I'm going to be traveling, I won't see him again for a while," she answered.

Lady Tsunade and Kakashi looked at each other, then at Sakura who stood next to Kakashi. After what felt like an eternity, Lady Tsunade sighed.

"Fine." she agreed.

"We are hesitant to allow a visitor in, but seeing as you are blind it would be more difficult to retrace the steps. So it doesn't seem like much of a risk. You will be given a few minutes to see him, with us there with you." Kakashi told her.

"That perfectly fine, Thank you." She bowed.

Sakura lent Hibiki her arm as they were escorted to the prison, every so often they would disorient her a bit, to make sure she couldn't retrace her steps later. After walking for at least a mile they came to a stop.

"He has a seal over his eyes, and in a straight jacket. So he won't be able to see or touch you." Sakura told Hibiki as the jail cell door clicked, unlocking. Sakura place Hibiki in the doorway. Hibiki took a stabilizing breath.

"Sasuke?" She called out. After a few moments, his voice rang in the empty jail cell.

"Hibiki?"

"Hey, been a while."

"It has. How did you get here?" He asked, slightly worried she may have broken in.

"Remember the night of the fire?" I asked.

"Vaguely, I was in the castle, and I remember seeing Naruto. That's where my memory gets fuzzy." He sighed.

"Well I went in to save you, and I met Sakura, she helped me in," Hibiki said.

"I see."

"I don't have long so I'll get to the point. Sasuke I need a favor," she said.

Sasuke stays silent, her voice was harder, determined yet frightened.

"I think you know what it is. But I'm going to say it anyway. Sasuke I need you to be my safety net." she asked.

"Hibiki," he began.

"I know, but Sasuke I can't ask anyone else. The other three would never do it, and he may use my body for experiments. I can only trust you with this." she begged.

Sasuke stayed quiet, a long moment of silence sat between them. The longer it took, the more anxious Hibiki became.

"I know this is a lot to ask, but Sasuke I can't move on without knowing I have a way out. And right now I don't think I could do it myself. I don't want to. That's selfish and dangerous but I don't want to leave him, I don't want to leave any of you. I want to live Sasuke but I'm so scared of what may come." she said, her voice hitching.

"Hibiki are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes if you hear anything, if they know my name, come and kill me. If I hear anything and need you to do it, I will come to you. I won't hate you or blame you." She assured him.

"He would." he half-smiled.

"Yes he would, but he would be more upset knowing I did it myself." she smiled.

"Your right about that." he agreed. The two shared a short dry laugh.

"Please," she begged again once they stopped laughing.

"Alright, If the time comes, I will be the one to kill you." He agreed.

"Thank you, Sasuke." She says. As she began to walk out of the cell she turns back,

"Oh and Sasuke,"

"I know," he replied.

Hibiki was escorted back out of the prison, once outside she bowed to the two.

"Thank you," She smiled.

Tsunade and Kakashi didn't know what to make of what just happened, but neither felt that it was right to ask any questions. She was cryptic but Tsunade was sure she was referring to Orochimaru at one point. But her fear of him using her body for experimentation showed Tsunade that she at least no longer worked with Orochimaru. Kakashi wondered what was so special about her body that Orochimaru would desire to dissect her. She obviously was no ninja, but she must have held some secret. However, he too felt it was not the time to ask.

"Sure," Tsunade smiled.

Sakura guided Hibiki back to her hotel, then back to the village gates. They stayed silent as Hibiki packed, and while they walked. At the gates, Sakura could feel the bubble of questions come up her throat and out her mouth.

"Why did you make him promise to kill you?" She asked before she could stop herself.

"It's a safety net, in case the people who want to use me find me. I know it is a lot to ask of a person, but he is the only one I can trust with this." she frowned.

"Still." Sakura hesitated.

"Sakura, Sasuke and I have known each other for a while now, we understand each other. He knows he can ask anything of me, and I can do the same with him. Besides, I think he knew this was coming." she sighed.

Sakura watched Hibiki's face as a mix of emotions passed through her. Deep in her mind warning signs flared up, and jealousy filled her. Sakura felt guilty for her selfish thoughts, but if it would be between her and Hibiki… she would be the loser.

"So do you two, love each other?" Sakura asked.

A laugh bubbled out of Hibiki, Sakura watched her worried about her answer.

"Well?" she asked again. Hibiki calmed down and a smile settled on her lips.

"Don't worry, I already have someone else." Hibiki smiled. "In fact, I need to get going or he will be upset." She said.

"Alright." Sakura sighed in relief.

"Oh and Sakura, would it be ok if I wrote to you sometimes?" Hibiki asked.

"Huh why?" Sakura questioned.

"Well I owe you one, and I have a feeling you might come looking for me one day. And that day I will answer your questions fully and completely." Hibiki winked.

"Hahaha, I look forward to your letters." Sakura smiled back.

"Goodbye Sakura, and thank you." Hibiki bowed her head again.

"Bye Hibiki," Sakura sadly smiled.

Hibiki turned and set off down the road, Sakura watched as the figure of the strange girl disappeared into the distance.


	37. Chapter 36: A Plan of Action

**Chapter 36 A Plan of action**

 **AN: Karin's hair is a borrowed idea from a deviant art thing I saw. It's funny and I liked it.**

Hibiki walked down the road at an even pace. The cool air stung her cheeks as she walked, a shiver ran through her. She pulled her cloak closer to shield her from the wind.

 _Man, it's cold._ She thought. It had been a while since she's experienced winter, and she already knew she wasn't a fan. She liked hot summer days, not snowy winter ones. She liked juicy watermelon not hot bowls of Oden. She just hoped that it would be warmer where they were going.

A few miles down the road, far enough away from the village gates that they were no longer in sight, she heard a bush move. She stopped and turned toward the sound.

"Hello?" She called. She heard footsteps move toward her. She braced a bit.

"How did it go?" Suigetsu asked as he emerged from behind a bush. He joined her at her side and took her hand. She sighed and relaxed, Suigetsu's cool hand and voice familiar and comforting. The two began walking down the road again, side by side.

"Good, made it in," she answered.

"Alright with that mission accomplished, what's next?" he asked.

"We go back to the hideout," she replied.

"Alright," Suigetsu sighed. He knew he wasn't going to get any answers out of her until the group was together. They took a lazy pace enjoying the company of each other as they walked. Around sunset, they made it back to the hideout. Suigetsu went in first and caught Hibiki at the bottom.

"This is the worst entrance, no wonder it was abandoned," Hibiki complained. She wasn't a fan of slides. She couldn't know what was at the end of it and had no way to prepare herself for it. Even this slide she felt hesitant even knowing Suigetsu was going to catch her.

Suigetsu went down the halls calling for Juugo and Karin while Hibiki took a seat in the kitchen. A few minutes later she heard Juugo quietly and calmly enter and take a seat, then came the loud argument between Suigetsu and Karin.

"Are you never going to let it go?" Suigetsu asked as he walked in and sat next to Hibiki.

"Not until my hair grows back!" Karin yelled back.

"What are you two fighting about now?" Hibiki asked as she took his hand.

"Nothing, Suigetsu just surprised me is all," Karin frowned.

"Why the hell didn't you hear me, I was calling to you?"

"I was preoccupied." she snapped.

"Yeah yeah, as soon as I touched her shoulder she panicked and slapped me."

"Serves you right." Karin pouted. Suigetsu took a seat next to Hibiki, taking her hand under the table.

"Seriously you two, I don't understand why you hate each other so much." Hibiki sighed.

"It started with Suigetsu cutting my hair!" Karin growled.

"You cut her hair?" Hibiki looked toward Suigetsu, raising her eyebrow, waiting for an answer to the accusation.

"She was at the lab, I was able to get out for a second and took the opportunity to get back at the girl who essentially electrocuted me twice." Suigetsu defended himself.

"I was under orders from Orochimaru." Karin sneered.

"It still hurt like fuck." Suigetsu complained.

"Alright alright, so why can't you two just move past this," Hibiki asked.

"My hair is still uneven!" Karin snapped again.

"Then cut it shorter." Suigetsu retorted.

"I can't do that!" Karin gasped, horrified at the thought.

"Why because Sasuke likes long hair?" Suigetsu teased. _Is that rumor still circulating?_ Hibiki wondered, a bit surprised.

"That's…. It's not ..." Karin babbled.

"Alright enough, let's just move on then." Hibiki stopped the argument.

"Fine, So now that you've spoken to Sasuke what is the plan?" Suigetsu asked Hibiki.

"Well, I figure we should make ourselves scarce for a while, just until some of the heat dies down. You know from the Land of Iron, and Konoha. We are all wanted and with some time that will be eased off of. Or at least made less of a priority." Hibiki explained.

"Where do we go?" Juugo asked.

"Well, back in the Land of Iron, I met a guy named Haruto. It's a long story but he left his earthly possessions to me before he died. I need to go and sell his land and everything. The trip there and back would be a few months."

"Where is it?" Karin inquired.

"A small country called the Land of Oil. It's on the other side of the desert in the Land of Wind. it's out of the way and has no ninja affiliations. A safe neutral zone we can walk around freely in." Hibiki explained.

"That would be nice for a change, no more sneaking around, walking on eggshells." Juugo sighed.

"We are in no rush so it can be as slow as we want, like a vacation," Hibiki added.

"That sounds really nice actually." Karin perked up

"The calm environment would be beneficial to me. But what if I go on a rampage?" Juugo worried.

"We can see Orochimaru before we go, see if there's any medication he can give us." Suigetsu suggested.

"What about money?" Karin asked.

"I still have some left from when we were traveling with Sasuke, but we can also go to a bank in the Land of Grass, I have some money saved there, plenty for the trip," Hibiki explained.

"How the hell do you have a bank account?" Suigetsu asked.

"I blackmailed a few of Orochimaru's old henchmen to set it up for me," Hibiki answered.

"Hahaha, awesome." Suigetsu cackled. She always seemed to surprise him.

"So does this sound like something you would want to do," Hibiki asked the group.

"I'm in," Suigetsu smiled, squeezing her hand.

"Of course you'd follow Hibiki." Karin teased.

"Shut up bitch." He sneered.

"Kiss my ass Suigetsu. Even though you'll be there a vacation does sound nice. I'll go." Karin agreed.

"I want to see Orochimaru first before I decide," Juugo said.

"Alright. Let's pack up and go see the old lizard." Hibiki concluded.

With that, they repacked their few possessions and set off to the Land of Sound. Orochimaru had been held up in one of his oldest hideouts. The Hideout was used less and less over the years, as better equipped hideouts were constructed. But as it was the largest of the Hideouts, Orochimaru seemed to want it as a singular base from then on. A few rumors had been circulating he was moving his machinery and documents to this hideout. Having his old followers help renovate the old building. The group came across the main entrance but stopped short.

"Orochimaru's being watched," Karin sighed, _why was nothing easy?_

"Probably on house arrest for now," Juugo added.

"How do we get in?" Hibiki asked.

"I'm guessing one of the other entrances are unguarded," Karin explained.

They split up, Karin took the east entrance, Hibiki and Suigetsu took the west, and Juugo took the emergency secret exit. When Karin and Hibiki and Suigetsu found their entrances being watched they joined Juugo a mile from the main entrance.

"It seems that they either don't know this is here or, Orochimaru might have forgotten it's here." Suigetsu guessed.

"Probably I swear the sheer number of hideouts designed and made… probably gets them mixed up all the time." Hibiki sighed.

The group descended through a hatch hidden under a tree, down an old ladder, and through a secret door. They carefully walked through the hideout as Karin led them to Orochimaru. They found the man in one of the studies going over some blueprints. He looked up to see the four quietly enter and shut the door.

"It's good to see you all. Doing much better Hibiki?" Orochimaru greeted them.

"I'm doing great," she coldly answered.

"What has brought you all here today?" He asked.

"You know why we are here." Hibiki scoffed.

"He does?" Suigetsu asked.

"He has a snake on me," Hibiki explained.

"What?" Suigetsu gasped. He definitely did not like the idea that one of Orochimaru's nasty snakes was on Hibiki.

"It's like a leash, it spies on me sometimes," Hibiki told Suigetsu.

"I hoped you didn't know. But of course, you did." Orochimaru glumly replied.

"So do you have anything for Juugo," Hibiki asked.

"Yes actually, follow me." He instructed.

Orochimaru leads them deeper into the hideout, its walls looked unstable and the floor was falling apart.

"As you can see I need to do some renovations to the place." Orochimaru narrated their walk. The place had cracks all in the walls, too many to be stable. The ground was uneven, Suigetsu guided Hibiki over the rough terrain.

"Is that your plan for now?" Karin asked.

"Yes, I'm under house arrest for now, under constant surveillance. Every building material or supplies brought in is searched first. It slows everything down. Tsunade agreed I could be free so long as I gave up my hideouts. I gave them a map of them all, even the unfinished ones. This is the only one for now." he explained.

"Good thing we left when we did," Hibiki said.

"It seems I've conveniently forgotten that one, my memory isn't always perfect. I'll report it soon though." he smiled to himself.

"Thank you for your concern lord Orochimaru," Karin said.

"I don't know what you mean." He replied.

"I'm sure you'll rebuild a few more hideouts soon." Hibiki changed the subject.

"Not at the moment, but yes I probably will, once everything settles," he answered.

They walked into one of the old labs that were still running, although barely.

"I've picked up on some of my experiments that are agreeable, such as Juugo's condition. It can be quite boring when I do nothing, so it's been helping to keep me from getting cabin fever," he complained.

"So what have you discovered?" Juugo asked. Clearly eager to have some new control over his body.

"I just created and tested a few mixtures I had noted a while ago, And this one is the most effective thus far," Orochimaru said as he grabbed a bottle from one of the shelves.

"This should last until you return." He finished handing the bottle to Juugo.

"Thank you, lord Orochimaru." Juugo bowed.

After a chaste goodbye, the group exited where they had entered and moved toward the Land of Grass.

A few days of walking, occasionally stopping in villages to eat and rest, they made it to the land of grass. A small village a few miles past the border held a small bank.

"Here, This is my authorization card, pull out 56000 Ryo or so, that should be enough when combined with what money we have leftover," Hibiki instructed the boys.

"How the hell did you get so much money? And how much more do you have?" Suigetsu asked,

"It's a long story, ill tell you later." Hibiki waved him off

Suigetsu grumbled as he and Juugo walked to the bank, leaving Hibiki and Karin who sat on a bench under the shade of a large tree.

"What should we bring?" Karin wondered aloud.

"We should be mostly in hotels this time, so not too much. We can buy a backpack or two to carry extra clothes and a few other things, like Juugo's new medication." Hibiki offered.

"I can't wait to get you some new clothes, you've been dressing like such a tomboy recently. I miss seeing you in your cute dresses." Karin gushed.

"My dresses were impractical, and still are," Hibiki explained.

"Fine for now ill let you dress like that, but I will get to dress you up, and soon," Karin demanded.

"You know I'm, not a doll right." Hibiki half laughed.

"I know but it's so fun to dress you up." Karin defended her argument. The two laughed sweetly together. After a minute or so they calmed down. Karin leaned back and stretched, then relaxed again. She watched as the wind rustled the naked branches. She sighed, sat up straight and gathered her courage.

"So, hows Sasuke?" she finally asked.

"I've been wondering when you would ask," Hibiki smiled slightly. "He's alright, he's finally the Sasuke I know, even though he's imprisoned right now, he seems happy, the happiest I've seen him in forever," Hibiki explained.

"That's good," Karin smiled.

"He shouldn't be in for much longer. I'm guessing either August or September, he should be out." Hibiki continued.

"Will we see him?" Karin questioned.

Hibiki could feel Karin fidget a little.

 _So its finally time…_ she thought. Hibiki reached over and Karin took her hand, squeezing it, knowing it wasn't good news.

"I know what you really want to ask, so just ask it." Hibiki encouraged her.

"Do, do I still have a chance to be with Sasuke?" She studdered, nervous.

"No. Whatever the cause for that path was, has already passed." Hibiki honestly stated. Karin teared up, and cold salty drops of water streaked down her face, her breath hitched. Hibiki pulled Karin into a hug.

"I'm sorry, maybe I should have said it better," Hibiki apologized.

"No, its not you, I needed the honest truth. It just hurts." Karin murmured between soft sobs.

Suigetsu and Juugo walked back towards the bench, a large money-filled envelope in SUigetsu's hand. It was odd for him to enter a bank with no intention of robbing it. Sure he only robbed a bank once, but he always had that small urge to rob a bank whenever he passed one.

Juugo suddenly stopped, causing him to run into his back.

"Jeez man, why the hell did you…" Suigetsu asked looking around the tallboy. He gaped at the scene in front of him, Hibiki sat smiling next to Karin, who had cut her hair into a short bob.


	38. Chapter 37: A Few Days of Travel

**Chapter 37: A few days of Travel**

 **Ok, I'm sorry for not updating! It's been hectic to say the least. I'm aiming to update every Monday like before, get back on a schedule! Please enjoy and leave some comments! How are my kissing scenes doing? Was the first one a letdown? I worry.**

The desert air was still hot even in the winter although the winds blowing the sand stung like ice. The group moved along the unstable surfaces made of sand, their hoods pulled over their heads and the cloak tightly wrapped around each body. Hibiki walked behind Suigetsu, holding onto the back of his cloak for guidance. She didn't like walking in sand, it was too shifty, and she could never truly get her footing right. They walked at a slow even pace for hours, from sunrise to sunset, and it was around this time they found a small village.

The village was built near a cliffside, one of the few rock formations they have seen, that had an oasis at its bottom. The buildings were old but not ruined, and the people were mostly elders. It was one of those dying towns that no longer held an interest in youth. Soon it would be a ghost town, a place for thieves, robbers, and other criminals to use as a hideout.

The wind began to blow stronger as they stumbled into the town and finally, after struggling with a door, the four tumbled into an inn. They took off their hoods and shook off and sand they could.

"Hello, what brings you around these parts?" the innkeeper asked. He was an older man, balding and a little overweight.

"Just passing through," Hibiki answered.

"You do know the Sand Village is in the other direction," he told them, wondering if the four youngsters were lost.

"No, no, we're heading toward the Land of Wheat" Karin corrected him.

"Oh well, your heading in the right direction then." The keeper affirmed, he picked up his pencil and pointed to each of them, "Four guests," he wrote in a book before calling out to his wife to set up a room.

"Do you need dinner this evening?" He asked.

"Yes, thank you." Hibiki answered.

He nodded and headed toward the back, calling out to another person to start some food. After a few quiet minutes the wife appeared with a soft smile.

"If you will follow me, I'll lead you to a room."

The group staggered down the hall, "We have roof access over there," She pointed out, "it's a good place to view the stars."

"Not in this wind," Suigetsu grumbled.

"We get these gusts all the time, it should be over soon." The wife informed them. The room was a fair size, with Four futons laid out, and a small table to eat at.

"Enjoy your stay." She said before walking back down the hall.

Everyone collapsed by the table, worried they would get sand in if they fell in bed now. Soon after, or maybe it just felt like a short time, The Innkeeper and another old man came by with their food. The group all eat quietly exhausted from the long day's walk.

"I thought this was supposed to be like a vacation," Suigetsu complained.

"The desert is the hardest part, there are only a few towns throughout it. Once we pass it everything will be easier." Hibiki told him. He groaned in acknowledgment.

After a bath, a good shake out of their clothes Karin and Juugo go to bed. Suigetsu returns from his own bath to find only the two inside. He checks the room for a minute before searching elsewhere. Suigetsu eventually finds Hibiki on the roof. The wind had calmed down and now the air was still, the sky cloudless. Suigetsu climbs all the way onto the roof before going to sit next to Hibiki. He promptly sneezed.

"So, you do get cold." Hibiki teased.

"Yeah that and all this dry air and sand is killing me."

"Here," she offered, she wrapped the blanket she had around him before taking a seat in his lap, covering them up into a small ball. He sighs and rests his chin atop her head.

"Feels sort of u real being free, not in any rush," Suigetsu commented.

"You know this is how most people live," Hibiki said.

"I could get used to it." He smiled.

"Me too, imagine that someday we won't be wanted people either."

"I don't know I'm pretty dangerous, I could do something stupid and get sent to jail again." Suigetsu pondered.

"I'll bust you out again," she told him.

"Then we would be on the run forever." He mused.

"As long as I have you, any life would be fine," Hibiki admitted.

They sit quietly for a while.

"What does the sky look like?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh uh… there are a lot of stars, more than I'm used to seeing. Surprising how clear it is out here" Suigetsu said, looking up.

"Do you know any… what are they called?" She thought for a moment, "constellations?"

"Nah, my brother showed me a few when I was a kid, but I never really got it." He told her.

"Oh."

"Can you see the stars; in your foresight I mean?" He asked.

"No, I can't. I can't see the sky at all, it's just emptiness." She explained.

"Why?" he thought aloud.

"I don't know, that's something even Haruto didn't know. Part of our curse maybe, we can't enjoy the simple pleaser of seeing the sky." They stay quiet for a few minutes.

"I think if you saw it, you'd like it. The stars." He said, poking her cheek.

"Really?" she chuckled.

"Yeah, I wish I could show them to you," he absently said.

"That's sweet."

Suigetsu 's cheeks began to burn. He was so happy no one else but Hibiki heard that. Why did he always say the most embarrassing things in front of her? At this point it was like a compulsion.

"Anyway," he changed the topic.

Hibiki smiled and turned to the side, she snuggled her face under Suigetsu's chin as she wrapped her arms around him. He did the same, pulling her close to him. She pulled back some and smiled up at him. Suigetsu moved a hand onto her face, caressing it. With little hesitation he leaned in and kissed her.

It was a soft peck. It lasted for a few seconds. Both still inexperienced and nervous Suigetsu looked at Hibiki's blushing face and was yet again, glad she couldn't see his.

…

Karin sat up in her bed and stretch as she yawned. She peered around her, to her right, Juugo was in his own bed sleeping and to her left Suigetsu had Hibiki wrapped in his arms. Karin took her earplugs out and heard him snoring as loudly as ever. Juugo was a heavy sleeper who couldn't hear Suigetsu once he was asleep, Hibiki never seemed to mind it, but Karin she hated it. It was loud, annoying, and impossible to fall asleep next to. She had brought earplugs with her from the very beginning, knowing she would probably need them.

Karin watched the couple for a moment, she couldn't even see Hibiki's face, buried and hidden in Suigetsu. Karin gaged a bit before standing and getting ready. She climbed to the roof and took in the bright day. It had to be nearing noon, the sun was high in the sky. Karin signed.

She reached up and ran a hand through her short hair. The hair she kept long in hopes of someday getting Sasuke to notice her, to love her. But just like Hibiki said, it was never meant to be. Karin always knew it was unlikely to happen, but she tried hard anyway. She could feel the breeze on her neck as the wind blew. Hibiki had suggested it, knowing the uneven cut still bugged Karin. It was a good idea. Karin had heard that many girls cut their hair after a breakup, then again Karin was never with Sasuke in the first place.

"Karin get your ass down here, we're heading out soon," Suigetsu called surprising her.

"Suigetsu I will knock you into next Tuesday." She warned.

"Suigetsu go eat with Juugo." She heard Hibiki say. "Hey Karin, come down when you're ready. No rush." She said.

"Thanks, Hibiki," she called back. She stayed on the roof for a few more minutes before descending into the inn.

Yet again the group set off. Walking at a leisurely pace through the desert. It was around 5 when the terrain began to change into dry plains. Hibiki was happy to have solid ground again. They walked on until night set in before finding a small village and an inn to stay at. Juugo was the last to take a bath, they were all sweaty and in need of cleaning. Hibiki and Karin went in together, then Suigetsu, then Juugo. Juugo being as large as he was, he wasn't going to fit in the small bath with Suigetsu.

Karin ordered food for everyone, it took a while, the old woman who was taking her order couldn't hear, it was quite the ordeal trying to get her to understand what she was saying. Karin finally heads back to the room, a bit frustrated she wanted to complain to Hibiki. She reaches the room and slides the door open only to find something she didn't want to see. Inside Hibiki was giggling while she was being held in place by Suigetsu who had been playfully biting Hibiki's shoulder. Suigetsu felt his blood drain as Karin grabbed him and threw him out.

Go check on the food!" she ordered before slamming the door shut.

"I'm sorry Karin, I didn't notice that you had returned." Hibiki apologized.

"Don't worry I'm not mad at you. I'm happy to see you so happy."

"Thank you, but still, I know you dislike seeing me and Suigetsu doing anything together."

"I can't help it, you're so precious!" Karin joked as she squeezed Hibiki tight.

Hibiki smiled as they settled back. Karin went on a rant about the old woman, getting her frustration out before saying,

"So I've been wondering, how's your foresight?"

"It's not good. I tried using it earlier, but everything was foggy. I got a massive headache from it too."

"How long do you think this will last?" Karin worried.

"Another month or two, I used it so much when we were with Sasuke that my body needs to heal."

"Well nothing's going on right now, so you don't need to use it anyway." Karin tried looking at the bright side for once.

"It just really bugs me, not being able to use it. Like an itch I can't scratch."

Suigetsu and Juugo burst in then with the food. They all ate together, with Suigetsu and Karin arguing like usual. The food was subpar but was at least warm.

Finally, after two more days of walking, having to camp out one night due to no inns being around, they made it back into more familiar territory. First was just grass fields but it soon morphed into a forest landscape. They stop on the roadside for a break and Karin pulls out the map and studied it, finding their location.

"Looks like the next place is in the Land of Wheat a small town called Yadorigi." Karin reported.

"How much farther until the Land of Oil?" Suigetsu asked not really wanting to hear the answer.

"At least six more major towns,"

Suigetsu groaned. He was never really one for traveling in the first place.

"Why don't we stay in Yadorigi for a few days and rest up?" Juugo offered.

"Sounds good, we need to resupply on a few things." Karin agreed.

"I think Yadorigi has a hot spring, that could be nice." Hibiki too offered, trying to sort through her memories as Haruto. The group hurried along and reached Yadorigi by the early afternoon.


	39. Update

Ok ive been working on Unmei no te for over a year and still havent gotten close to the ending. I have the plot mapped out it's just the middle stuff that i'm having a problem with. Due to school im out of practice and a little out of touch with the characters. So be patient please, its coming, just really slowly. I want to make this the best it can be! If you follow me as an author, A few other fanfics might show up here and there just to get into the practice of writing again. I appreciate everyone who reads this fic! The comments warm my heart up and motivate me so thank you for them. Every time i get a new follower or favorite, my heart soars! Thanks for the support, I hope to get these chapters out soon!


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